


The Running

by yaoikazowie



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Sex, Eventual Smut, Hate to Love, Heat Cycles, Knotting, M/M, Masturbation, Mild BDSM, Omega Keith, Omega Lance, Praise Kink, Spanking, alpha shiro, mild dub-con, shklance - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2018-09-23 17:44:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 86,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9669344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yaoikazowie/pseuds/yaoikazowie
Summary: Once a year every of-age omega is forced to run in a ritual to find their mate-- or escape the bite of an alpha. This story follows Lance, a hopeless romantic that just wants to settle down, Keith-- the one omega determined to remain unmated, and Shiro--  a man who makes his living catching omegas for the rich.





	1. Introductions

**Author's Note:**

> So I will be switching points of view frequently, so be warned. Also this takes place in the omegaverse, so if that's not your thing, you've been warned!

They were talking about him. It happened every time he walked around the college campus. They’d say things like _Oh, he’s the omega who made it through two runnings,_ and _he thinks he so cool just because he isn’t mated._ Keith went to an all omega school. It was pretty much the norm, the alphas have their own separate schools; to prevent riff-raff and what not, of course.

               But the talking. Keith tried to not let it get to him, but it did. He was notorious among omegas and alphas alike—the one who had evaded capture not once but _twice._ One more running and he would be free to do as he wanted; not stuck tied down to some alpha.

The running happens once a year, and every omega who turned 18 that year was forced to participate. It was a barbaric ritual, a ritual that forced omegas to run for their lives or risk being forcibly mated to whatever alpha caught them first. Keith had run twice, and this year was the last. If he could make it through this one, he would be free. There was only one problem: having been so notorious caught a lot of alpha’s attentions, and there was a large bounty on his capture.

It wasn’t unheard of for an alpha to hire a specialist, a ‘hunter’ as they are known, to capture and bring back the pretty omegas. And Keith was pretty sure he’d be facing quite a few of them this year.

“Looks like you’ll belong to some old guy soon!” They teased.

Keith turned away. It was every omegas worst fear: being caught by an old or otherwise ugly and mean alpha. It happened more and more, what with the hired hunters who were younger and more agile able to bring the captured omegas back—for a price of course. The council had picked up on this, and in order to try to diminish the use of hunters an alpha was only allowed to run once. If he captured an omega, he couldn’t run again. But there was a loophole: if they didn’t, they were free to run again next year.

               This created a class of superior alphas, and if an omega was worth something a bounty would be placed on their head. These omegas usually ended up with the old, rich men, forced to bear children year after year. The running was barbaric, but he’d survived it twice and only had one more to go. He was determined to be free; he wasn’t about to submit to some old alpha just because he was born an omega.

               But no one had ever escaped three runnings in a row. But Keith assured himself: he was going to be the first. All year long he trained: running, climbing, hand-to-hand combat, he did it all in preparation for the one day—the one day he would be forced from his home and into the forest for 24 hours, just to protect his neck from the bite of an alpha.

The running was getting close, on the first of January in fact. Keith glanced at his phone: December 30th.

“Shit,” he mumbled, there wasn’t much time.

When he finally got to class the whole room was in a dull murmur: omegas talking escape strategies, or alphas they hoped would bond with them. A few even approached Keith, asking for tips. He ignored them, turning his head the other way. Eventually the rest of them got the message: Keith was a loner, and he was not to be messed with. This worked with omegas in school, but alphas harassed him all the time, but bonding was only allowed during the ritual.

               That didn’t mean they hadn’t tried. And for that reason Keith hated alphas: hated what they stood for, how they acted, how _entitled_ they saw themselves. While he was stuck in class learning how to please an alpha, the alphas were free to study whatever interested them: science, math, and the works. It was Keith’s dream to become an astrophysicist. He self-studied himself practically to death, and could probably out-test most of the alphas in that major with ease. But none of that mattered to society, because he was an omega and an omega was only good for breeding.

               What a fucked up world he lived in.

***

Lance was excited. The running was in two days, and he was ready to settle down. It was his first running, and he liked to think that he was good-looking, so someone might go for him. He hoped to settle down with a nice alpha and live a life of leisure. He would never admit it, but ever since he presented as an omega, he’d been a hopeless romantic. He dreamed of falling in love, bonding with a nice alpha, and starting a family. It was all he ever wanted, and he was finally 18 this year.

“YES!” Lance yelled as he jumped out of bed, late for class as usual.

               Lance scrambled to get dressed, throwing on his signature “YOLO” tank top and neon snapback. Shoot, it was really late. He needed to get to class before all the good seats were taken; nobody wants to be forced to sit next to the emo-loner kid, Keith as he was called. He was known for hating alphas and omegas alike, so no one bothered talking to him.

               But it was just his luck—the only desk left was one right next to Keith, and the professor had already started the lecture when he walked in.

“Nice of you to join us, Lance,” the professor commented.

Okay sure, he was late a lot. But was that really necessary? Heaven forbid he miss a lecture on the importance on omegan pressure points. Most of them had figured them out already; once that first heat hit them hands wandered where they will, and usually an omega discovers their sexuality in some way or another. Taking a seat, Lance glanced at Keith. Rumors had it that he hadn’t even had his first heat; and that was the reason he was able to survive two runnings. But nobody knew for sure.

               The assembly was tomorrow. He’d have to remember to set his alarm early, so he could spiff himself up in time for the ceremony. All the omegas wore a number, and the neighboring alpha school and other older alphas were invited. In all reality it was like an auction, Alphas looked for a number they liked, and aimed for that one when the running began. Lance was nervous no alpha would take him; he didn’t want to look _too_ good tomorrow, or a bounty might be placed on his head. He’d rather someone around his own age take an interest in him, then he wouldn’t have to put up a fight. But he vowed if a hunter _did_ come after him, he would run. Nothing was going to get in the way of his romantic dream; and he certainly wasn’t about to settle down with some ugly old man.

***

               Shiro would be what is classified now as a “hunter”. He’d run six times, and with the money he’d earned he was able to live a good life. But the forest is where he belonged; he never could stand the crowded cities, the college campuses. He’d sat through so many lectures on omegan-pressure points that he could recite them by name. But he’d never really had to put them in practice. His job was to capture the omega and bring him back for the alpha to bite. It was that simple. But sometimes it wasn’t.

               It was only last year when he had lost his arm. He and another hunter were both going for the same omega, and things turned bloody fast. His arm had to be amputated, but it was replaced with a mechanical one that was just as functional as the real thing. Shiro had a good reputation. He always caught his omega, and he was very picky about what clients he took. Most of his clients couldn’t run for medical reasons, or because they’d been hurt in some way and really wanted a certain omega. Occasionally he would help an un-bonded couple unite.

               He wasn’t in it for the money. It was definitely offered, but Shiro couldn’t live with himself knowing that he’d struck down a young and virile omega in his or her prime just to hand them over to some old, rich man. Other hunters had no problem doing that, but Shiro had morals. But since he’d lost his arm there weren’t very many business opportunities for him. They’d deemed him unfit to be a hunter, what with one arm.

“Maybe I could settle down,” Shiro mumbled, sitting next to his wooden fireplace.

He had to admit, the idea of having some company around this lonely cabin, a cute omega nesting in the corner; it didn’t sound so bad. He decided to go the assembly this year, find an omega that looked nice. He didn’t need anyone fancy, just someone to share his company. But he didn’t know what he was getting himself into.

               Maybe he wasn’t cut out for a domestic life. He’d lived in this cabin for six years now, he was twenty four years old and un-bonded, which by society’s standards was unacceptable. But he’d grown accustomed to living on the edge of the forest, in a cabin he’d built years ago, living off of the land. It was a rugged existence, and one a city omega might not take to very well.

               Nevertheless, he would go to the assembly. If nothing caught his eye, he just wouldn’t run.


	2. The Assembly

“Psh. Another assembly,” Keith muttered under his breath.

Nothing was more demeaning than putting on a number, like some sort of cattle tag, and standing in a room filled with hormonal alphas to ogle them like groceries. But this would be the last time. The last time he would be forced to run. That put him in a better mood, as he made his way towards the assembly room.

People whispered as he walked by. They knew who he was, they knew that it was his last running. Keith glanced down at his shirt. 27 this year. Neat. The whole room was filled with whispering alphas, eyeing the omegas as they walked in. Keith could make out some hunters in the crowd, some he had thwarted personally. They gave him a dirty look, as if he were below human, before carrying on their discussions with some old hags.

“Probably determining prices,” Keith mumbled.

The other omegas stood by his side, most of them running for the first time tomorrow. He could smell the nervousness in the room, as they eyed each other wearily. A few of the poor things were in heat; they’d be the first to go tomorrow. If you were easy to smell, you were easy to catch. It was as simple as that. He knew to avoid all eye contact—it decreases your chances of being caught.

Truthfully Keith had never gone into heat before, though his lineage proved to be late bloomers. He had the physique of any other omega his age, if not more muscular than the rest. But his heat had never come, and he had never understood the severity of it.

               Keith could overhear the alpha’s conversations.

“27.”

“27,” the number kept popping up.

Welp, looks like it was going to be quite the run this year. But something wasn’t right. It must be all of the people crammed into this assembly room, it was muggy and the mix of hormones nauseating. But that didn’t explain the wetness he was beginning to feel between his thighs. Surely it couldn’t be….

***

               Today was the day! Lance had spiffed himself up, gelled his hair, used a special facial mask and his golden brown skin practically _glowed_. He was going to catch a few eyes today, he just knew it. He was overwhelmed when he finally entered the assembly room. The mix of scents was overwhelming, he could smell all of the omegas in heat, all the alphas in rut. But with so many people in the room, it was hard to distinguish who was who. He just hoped being around so many alphas wouldn’t send him into an early heat. That would be like a death sentence.

               Lance got his number, which just so happened to be his lucky number: 42. He had a good feeling about this. Lance scanned the crowd, looking to make eye contact with an attractive alpha. Much to his dismay, he just kept hearing the same number over and over again, 27. Lance glanced down the line. Naturally, it was Keith. It wasn’t surprising. He was much more valuable since it was his last running, and he was very attractive Lance thought. _Too bad about his personality._

               But Keith had silky black hair, even if it was a mullet, and the palest white skin he had ever seen. He looked _angelic_ if you didn’t know any better. He met eyes with a few others that he could see himself settling down with, but one stare gave him a cold feeling that ran down his whole body. He shivered, meeting eyes with the black and white haired man in the back of the room. He had a metallic arm, so Lance knew immediately he was a hunter. And he was most definitely staring at _him._

               _Crap!_ Someone set a bounty on me? Lance didn’t know for sure, but if this man even came close to him out there tomorrow, he was going to run for his life. There was no way he was settling down with one of those wrinkly prunes. The idea of even being _intimate_ with any of them made bile rise in his throat. No. He was going to settle down happily tomorrow. Got to think Positive.

               When the assembly finally ended Lance had a good feeling that he’d made a good impression on some young, attractive alphas. Hopefully they would get to him before that man whose eyes made his blood run cold.

***

A lot of the hunters were surprised to see Shiro at the assembly. Most of them had though him to be out of the picture, especially after last year when he lost an arm. A few of them approached him cockily, their scents challenging his own.

               “Here to go after number 27? Seems to be in demand this year. Quite the reward on his head. It’s too bad about your arm.”

Shiro clenched his fists. He wasn’t going to let them get to him.

He simply turned to them with a smile, “I’m looking for myself today.”

               The group nodded sympathetically, but most of them were relieved their major competition would be out of commission.

“Number 27, you say?” Shiro asked, finding the raven-haired male in the lineup.

Number 27 was looking down, avoiding all eye contact. His shoulders hunched a little, it almost looked like he was about to go into heat and collapse right there.

“Yeah. Looks like he’s getting his first heat, so shouldn’t be too hard to track him down. I have quite a few potential buyers, but who knows? I might just take him for myself.”

               The fake laughs rumbled through the room, drawing attention to them. Shiro decided now was time to separate himself from those crooks. Shiro’s eyes were drawn to number 42. He had golden skin, looked friendly, and he was tall; just his type. They made eye contact once or twice, but the omega seemed to be a bit timid, averting eye contact when at all possible. Well at least now he knew who he was going after tomorrow. But just to satisfy his curiosity, he moved in closer to number 27. At this range he could smell the beginnings of a heat, along with some pheromones suggesting fear.

               Shiro’s sense of smell had always been better than the other alphas, and he could distinguish a single scent from every alpha and omega in this room. Number 27’s was intoxicating. _Must be his heat._ He felt bad for the poor thing, destined to be captured by a hunter and forced to bear children for some elderly man. Shiro didn’t know what came over him, but he was determined: he was going to bond number 27 tomorrow, save him from a horrible fate. But he was also going to bond number 42.

               It was unconventional, mating two omegas, but as long as it was done all in one run it was acceptable. He’d show them that they were wrong to count him out just yet; and besides, number 27 _was_ very attractive. He had a smaller frame than number 42, but he was muscular. Definitely suitable for the outdoor, rugged life.

He heard the others discussing bounty for number 27. Too bad for them, Shiro always got his omega.


	3. The Running

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it got really late and I just had to hammer this all out while it was still in my head. So it's probably full of mistakes and things I could fix, but for now here it is~ hope you enjoy.

The Running: Lance

               Lance couldn’t sleep. In the morning all the omegas would be rounded up and bussed to the forest, which was about an hour’s drive away. They weren’t allowed to bring anything with them, so any weapons or rations were forbidden. Which kinda sucked, since Lance just so happened to be a chow hound. Lance tossed and turned, unable to find a comfortable position to fall asleep. In. In only a few hours he would be out in the forest, and hopefully find the alpha of his dreams.

               But something about that black-haired hunter that had been ogling him made him uneasy. A hunter has a lot of experience, and Lance had no idea what to expect other than he was to be set free in the forest with an hour to run before the alphas were allowed out. 24 hours. Lance didn’t exactly want to be out in the elements for that long, so he hoped he could bond with someone quickly.

               When the morning finally arrived the omegas were all loaded onto the busses and driven out to the ceremonial location. They each wore nothing but their choice in pants (Lance opted for jeans, who knew what type of poisonous plants or animals would be out there) and a shirt with their number written in bold black ink. The excitement on the bus travelled quickly, with omegas either clinging to each other for dear life, or some who just kept to themselves. He could smell a few omegas in heat; they sat huddled in the back of the bus, all together.

               Lance felt sorry for them. It really wasn’t fair that an omega wasn’t allowed suppressants until they were mated, and even in their heat they had to run. It put them at a very great disadvantage, and from the looks on their faces, they knew it.

               Lance couldn’t lie to himself; he was scared. The number of hunters running this year was quite alarming, and he was pretty sure at least one of them was aiming for him. Lance cursed himself. _Why didn’t he prepare more for this? Tactics? Strategies?_ At this point his only plan would be to run and hide, only to reveal himself if a nice alpha came along. But even that could prove to be difficult, he’d have to find a way to mask his smell. It didn’t help that the shirts they were all forced to wear were a bright white; camouflaging would be impossible.

               As the bus drew near the drop off point, the scent of fear grew stronger. For most omegas this was the beginning of the end; their lives would be completely interrupted as they were whisked away by an alpha and forced to give up all that they had; which wasn’t much, other than clothes. Lance was different. He craved a domestic life, it appealed to him. Everything in his instincts told him that this is what he needed to do, and what could be so bad about never having to work a job? Sounded like an easy life to him, and hopefully one filled with happiness.

               Some of the others had dreams of working jobs, like back before the running ceremony had ever been created. But with the shortage of omegas, the council decided to create the running and it had been that way for as long as he could remember. The idea of working a job, picking one’s own mate, it seemed so foreign to him now. Not that it really mattered, he was already on his way.

               Suddenly the bus jarred, screeching to a halt. Outside the window lay an expanse of plains, and about 100 yards out the tree line began. Other than that, it seemed pretty desolate. It didn’t seem to be as hype as he thought it would be. Once all the omegas were unloaded, a pistol was fired into the air. Everyone scrambled for the tree line, some choosing to stay in groups and others going solo. Lance decided running alone would give him his best chance, and if he could separate himself from the main group and find the edge of the forest he could probably avoid all the hunters.

               Lance’s chest heaved with exertion as he ran. He headed for the left, just a general direction, and ducked into the tree line. Luckily for the all the trees were quite dense, which allowed for better camouflage, but it also made it more difficult to travel. He had to make it to the edge of the forest. A considerable amount of time passed, and Lance had made some good progress towards the edge of the forest. He couldn’t smell any other omegas near him, which was a good sign. But the sounding of the second pistol sent a chill up his spine. They were coming.

               For a while the entire forest seemed silent, as if it was holding its breath. But before long screams filled the air, breaking the feeling of security. Lance was hidden in some thich brush, and directly behind him was his escape route if necessary: he had cleared away soe of the brush leading to a bluff, but he had to stop there. There was nowhere else to go to after that, unless he were to scale the walls. He imagined that’d be something Keith would do, but not him. If worse came to worse, he’d just have to make a break for it and hope to lose them in the brush.

               A few hours passed, and Lance was beginning to think that his choice in hiding spots may have been a little _too_ good. He hadn’t heard much of anything near him in a while, the only noise the soft rustling of the trees as a gentle breeze blew through them. It was beginning to get dark out; he was worried. What if no one found him here?

               The sound of footsteps stopped his thoughts; and Lance held his breath. Hiding in the odorous bushes helped to disguise his scent, but he’s sure it couldn’t help all that much. He peeked through the brush, looking towards the sound of the footsteps.

“ _Shit,”_ Lance whispered.

It was him: that weird hunter that had eyed him yesterday. The large man sniffed the air, finally turning in Lance’s direction. _Crap. He smells me._ This was his chance. He either had to stay there, hidden, or run. Lance’s heart beat fast in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins. Time practically stood still as the footsteps drew nearer, nearer.. He was too close. Lance burst from the bushes and ran towards his escape route without really thinking; at this point he was in fight or flight mode, and he was positive he couldn’t take this guy in a fight.

               The movement must have caught his eye, and soon he was hot on his tail. The bluff was getting closer and closer… if he kept going, he’d be trapped. _Why couldn’t he shake this guy?_ Lance was more agile than most, able to dodge branches and jump over fallen trees. But it seemed as if the hunter did just the same, but he did it with practiced perfection.

“Shit Shit Shit,” Lance stumbled, the bluff was in sight.

               Finally he reached the bluff, there was nowhere to turn. Lance could make out the figure of the hunter coming closer. He knew he had him trapped. He probably knew these woods like the back of his hand (or lack thereof). Finally Lance could make out his figure. He wasn’t ugly, in fact it was quite the opposite. Though his body was covered in scars, he was well built. His prosthetic arm didn’t seem to weigh him down any, and he was clearly breathing heavily as he approached.

               _Maybe I can climb this wall…_ but Lance was afraid to turn his back to the alpha; afraid of being ambushed suddenly. If he was a hunter, he wasn’t going to mate him, he was going to drag him back to some old guy.

“Relax,” the hunter’s voice was deep, musky.

Lance pressed his back up against the bluff, standing his ground since he couldn’t run.

“I’m not going with you!” Lance yelled, desperately seeking purchase on the rock behind him, “I refuse to mate with some old hag!”

Tears ran down Lance’s face now, he was beyond the feeling of shame. The hunter stepped closer to him, placing his hands in the air in mock-defeat.

               “I’m not selling you off to anybody,” he said calmly, “I’m running for myself.”

Lance bared his teeth, a deep growl rumbling from inside his throat.

“As if I’d fall for your tricks,” Lance spat.

He tried to appear confident, tough. But with the tears flowing from his eyes, and his visibly shaking limbs, it would be obvious to anyone that he was scared.

“Calm down,” he stepped closer, too close, they now stood toe to toe.

Lance flinched as a hand ran down his cheek, wiping away the tears that had fallen there.

“I won’t force you to bond with me. But it’s on the table, if you’ll have me…”

               Lance blinked away the tears, confused. Was it just him or was this alpha exposing his neck to him?

“Go ahead. I’ll let you bite me first.”

He hesitated. What if this was all some ruse? But surely, if he was willing to be bitten first, he must be serious? This isn’t how he’d planned things would go. Beneath this alpha’s rough exterior, seemed to be hints of… compassion? It’s not as if the alpha was ugly, he looked to be around his age, attractive, yet intimidating.

               The hunter’s neck lay bare before him, as if daring Lance to make a move. Lance didn’t know what came over him, a mix of the strong alpha’s scent and his own fearful pheromones maybe, but he stepped closer into the alpha, clasping his arms tentatively. The alpha took in a deep breath, cocking his head to the side a bit more. So Lance bit him. Sank his teeth into the alpha’s scent glands until he drew blood. Not long after Lance’s head was moved to expose his neck, and the hunter sank his teeth into him.

               “Ahh,” Lance moaned.

It hurt, but at the same time it sent a blazing hot fire through his entire body. The alpha licked away the blood, finally taking a step back.

“I’m Shiro,” the alpha said.

“Lance.”

Lance was overcome with emotions, mostly those of possession, he hoped love would come later. _He’s mine. I did it, he’s mine._

He had a feeling Shiro was feeling the same way. Shiro locked eyes with Lance, giving him a little smile.

“I know this isn’t very conventional, but I want you to stay here. Wait for me, Lance, and I promise I will return to get you.”

               Lance was confused. Where was he going? Shouldn’t they be leaving the forest now? Off to live a happy life together?

“Why?” Lance dare question, emboldened by the mark on his neck.

Shiro placed a hand behind his head, rubbing his hair absent-mindedly.

“There’s someone else I need to save. But I’ll be back for you. Promise.”

               It must have been the endorphins flowing through his body, but Lance trusted him. He was reluctant to let him go, especially now that they had bonded.

“Mark me.”

It was Shiro’s turn to be confused.

“Mark you?”

Lance nodded meekly, stepping closer to Shiro. Lance craned his neck to the side, exposing the bite mark Shiro had left there.

“If you scent mark me, I can trust you’ll come back.”

Shiro hesitated, closing the distance between them until they stood chest to chest. Or head to chest, Shiro was quite a bit taller than Lance. Shiro turned his head the opposite way, exposing the mark Lance had given him. Then he rubbed his scent on him, the two stood close, neck to neck, skin on skin, and scented each other; made their claim. They stood this way for a few minutes, until Lance subconsciously began to purr.

Embarrassed, he stepped back, breaking their contact and blushing a bright red.

“I’ll be waiting for you, Shiro.”

 

The Running: Keith

               The bus ride was always a riot. Omegas were busy chattering away as if nothing out of the ordinary was going on and they all weren’t being bussed to their imminent demise. But something else was currently occupying his mind: he’d gotten his first heat. The smell was obvious, but the pain and sensitivity were worrying him. He’d trained for this all year dammit, he wasn’t going to let his body ruin it all.

               His usual plan is to run to the left side of the forest, near the edge, but not so near so that he could be cornered. He’d ventured into these woods countless times (illegally) and he knew the general layout of the area. His best bet would be to head for the dense trees, and then climb one of them and hide out for the night. Usually this works, especially when he used mud to mask his scent, but this time he wasn’t so sure. His was in the height of his heat now, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to even make it to the tree line in time.

               Keith knew there was a large bounty on his head. He’d heard them talking at the assembly, and it was certain that he was going to have to fight off some alphas. Bringing in weapons was strictly prohibited, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t _make one_ once he got situated. A sharp jab to the face is usually enough to off-put any lurking alphas.

Keith took a deep breath, letting the air escape slowly. Everything was hot, and his head was practically spinning. He was in no condition to be running; for the first time in his life he felt fearful: fearful of what his future holds. He’d managed to make it through two runnings already, a feat in itself, but this time he wasn’t so sure. His heat was really getting to him, and all he could think about was being knotted by some old man and forced to live a life of domesticity.

_Stop it, Keith. You’ve got this._ He tried to refocus his thoughts, as the destination grew nearer with every passing moment. It seemed all too soon when the bus finally stopped, and everyone on board was forced out onto the plains to wait for the pistol to sound.

               He let himself be pushed along with the others in the crowd, absent-mindedly walking to the starting point. Gosh, he was so out of it right now. How did the other omegas deal with this every month? The sound of the pistol ringing out startled him from his self-loathing thoughts, and somehow or another he was making his way for the tree line.

“That’s it, Keith,” he urged himself on, “just find a tree. Carve a weapon, and wait it out.”

Keith repeated this mantra in his head over and over, as if afraid he was going to forget it. _Last Run. This is the last run._ Finally he found a suitable tree, something he could realistically climb and in a dense wooded area that would hopefully hide his scent. Alpha’s rarely looked up; omegas didn’t typically climb the trees. Most of the trees were tall, with little to no branches to use as a step up. It’d be similar to climbing up a rope, it all depended on physical ability. And as omegas, most viewed it bad to work out; society expected an omega to be soft, supple.

               Well not him. Keith was fit, he had the ability to climb the nearly vertical ascend. He just hoped this whole “heat” thing didn’t get any worse, because he knew he was running out of time. Keith dabbed mud over his scent glands, a last ditch effort at best but better than nothing. Then he snapped a branch of a good thickness, and a rock he could use to carve it to a sharp point. Nothing was left to do but climb.

               Climbing proved to be more difficult than he thought. With his heat, his muscles felt weak, all he wanted to do was curl up in ball and sleep. But there was no time for resting; not now. With every last ounce of his strength he hauled himself up the tree, finding a suitable branch to sit on that would leave him as well hidden as possible.

               By the time the second pistol had sounded, Keith had already fashioned his weapon. After a while the familiar screams, began. Keith had nightmares about those screams; he couldn’t imagine what those poor, poor omegas were going through. Some alphas were bold enough to howl, but Keith just scoffed at them.

“Way to give away your position,” he mumbled.

Cocky bastards. Keith didn’t hear anything until it started to grow dark.

“He’s here!” a rough voice yelled, “I smell it.”

A few other voices he couldn’t make out responded. _Great. More than one._ Only the hunters knew to look in the trees. Maybe he’d get lucky, and they’d give up and move on. Fat chance. A figure trodded into his view, it was a hunter that he’d seen before. The others seemed far behind.

“Can’t let him give away my location,” Keith thought to himself.

Best case scenario: Keith slows his breath and stays as quiet as possible. Worst case scenario: he was going to have to hop down from this tree and fight this guy. _Please be the first one._

The hunter was wandering circles around the group of trees he was nestled in, dramatically sniffing the air. Then he looked up. _Shit._

               In one swift motion Keith jumped from the tree, landing directly on top of the hunter. Stake held in his hand he aimed for the eyes, catching the hunter off guard and completely impaling his eyeball. The hunter was killed instantly, but the pheromones of distress were sure to be released soon and the others were bound to catch up to him. Keith tried to stealthily make his way out of the immediate area, but his feet felt as if they were filled with lead. His entire body was covered with sweat, and the mud that had dried on his scent glands was beginning to slide off.

               “Damn this stupid heat,” Keith mumbled, hacking his way through the brush as quietly as he could. Then he heard their voices, they were yelling. They sounded angry. Suits them right, those bastards. It was obvious that Keith’s scent was becoming more and more potent. The footsteps of the other men were getting closer. Keith stumbled a bit over some rocks, he had to hurry. But in his current condition, it seemed as if he could not run fast enough.

               “There!” One of them shouted, and then they were all running towards him. Keith turned to face them, ready to fight to the death if at all necessary. It seemed there were only two of them, he might be able to fend them off. Keith looked around for something, anything, sharp or blunt enough to use as a weapon, but it was all in vain. The hunter was close, he was going to be tackled. Keith braced himself for the fall—

               But he didn’t fall. At the last moment another alpha leaped from what seemed to be out of nowhere, intercepting the blow. Keith only caught a glimpse of a shiny prosthetic arm before turning tail and getting the fuck out of there. He could hear the various growls and snarls of the alphas fighting each other. Hopefully it would be enough of a distraction for him to escape. Suddenly the woods fell silent.

               Keith stilled, afraid to make any noise by moving his feet. _Maybe they killed each other?_ But then the sound of footfalls grew nearer to him.

“Crap.”

It sounded like there was only one, he couldn’t hear any voices. And then, again, as if out of nowhere, the alpha with the prosthetic arm leaped from the bushes, eyeing Keith up and down.

Keith bared his teeth, but he’d used most of his energy already, and this heat was beginning to take its toll. Everything was spinning, but he wouldn’t go down without a fight. This guy only had one real arm anyway, he couldn’t be that bad. But he did just kill two hunters single handedly…

               The two stared at each other for a long time, neither of them saying anything. Finally the alpha spoke, sending a cold chill down Keith’s spine.

“I’m not here to hurt you, or turn you in for ransom,” the alpha said, moving in closer.

Keith took a sniff. Was that…? The smell of another omega was clearly wafting from him, though it seemed faint in comparison to the woodsy scent of the alpha himself. Sure enough, a fresh bite mark adorned the alpha’s neck. So why was he hunting him down? He’d captured his omega already, why couldn’t he just leave him the fuck alone!??

               Keith snarled at the man as he stepped even closer, but he couldn’t stand his ground, backing away in fear.

“You’re already mated,” Keith managed to growl out, “What do you want with me?”

The alpha stepped even closer, too close for comfort. It was a complete surprise when the alpha tackled him, pushing him to the ground with a loud thud.

The alpha bared his teeth, and Keith couldn’t think straight. He couldn’t help himself, he smelled so _good._ It was as if all the strength had left his body, and the alpha was easily pinning him to the forest floor. There was a brief flash of teeth as Keith was bitten, blood flowing from the wound.

“No!” Keith yelled, “No. No. No,” he was begging now, “Please, no.”

               It was too late, the mark on his neck was beginning to tingle, and the alpha was licking the blood from his neck.

_Fuck. It feels so good, I want… I want more._

               Keith’s body went limp beneath the hunter, he had stopped fighting. The alpha continued to nuzzle at his glands, and Keith swore under his breath as slick began to rapidly flow. Just as he was about to come the hunter moved from off of him. There was no point in running now. He had been marked, by an already bonded alpha at that. But Keith swore to himself: he would never reciprocate the bonding bite. He may have been bitten, but there was no way he was at all cooperating.

               “Names Shiro,” the alpha said, “Come with me.”

Keith made no attempt to follow him, his butt mounted firmly in the dirt. Shiro turned around, seeing that the omega was not following him. He frowned at him, nudging him with his foot.

“Get up. We’re leaving.”

Keith didn’t know if he even _could_ move. He was sore everywhere, and the bite in his neck was throbbing rapidly along with his pulse. Shiro rolled his eyes at him, bending down to look him in the face.

               “A bit stubborn, I see. No matter,” and with one fell swoop Keith was hauled over the shoulder of the alpha, as if he weighed nothing at all. To be fair, in comparison Shiro was a lot bigger than he was, but he certainly didn’t think himself to be so light that he could easily be thrown over someone’s shoulder.

               Keith kicked and flailed for a while, but nothing seemed to work. Eventually he grew tired, his eyes drooping closed. This was it. It was over. Keith’s life was over. He’d given up, allowing himself to be carried off deeper into the woods before passing out on Shiro’s shoulder.

               “It’ll get better soon,” were the last words Keith heard before blacking out entirely.

 

The Running: Shiro

               After the pistol sounded Shiro sniffed the air. Number 42 was around here somewhere, and he was his priority. He’d let the other alphas wear number 27 out before going to find him. Finally he caught the scent, though only briefly. He’d headed off to the left, and the scent was very faint. He must have gone deep into the woods, the edge probably. Shiro made his way that direction, following his nose until he reached the edge of the forest. Shiro listened closely; if number 42 was as near as his scent suggested, he should be able to hear some sort of movement or breathing. The flash of white was a dead giveaway. The omega had sprung from the bushes he was hiding in, running towards the cliff Shiro knew was ahead.

               _Guess that works in my favor._ Shiro followed effortlessly, it was as if the path had been cleared already. He had the omega cornered, and the poor thing looked terrified. Shiro knew he was rough looking, scary even. His prosthetic arm probably made matters worse, so of course the poor thing was scared. He could smell the fear all over him.

“Relax,” he tried to soothe the panicking omega, but it didn’t seem to be working. The omega had backed himself up against the bluff, unmoving.

 “I’m not going with you!” the omega yelled, “I refuse to mate with some old hag!”

Of course. Shiro was a hunter, he thought there was a bounty on his head. Shiro had to reassure him that this was not the case, but he wasn’t sure what words to say. Tears streamed down the terrified omega’s face; he believed he was about to be sold off. Shiro stepped closer, putting his hands up in the air.

               “I’m not selling you off to anybody,” he said calmly, “I’m running for myself.”

The omega didn’t look convinced, even daring to bare his teeth at him.

“As if I’d fall for your tricks!”

The omega was shaking now, tears still readily flowing from his eyes. It tugged at Shiro’s heart strings, he didn’t want his mate to feel this scared of him. Maybe he _was_ destined to be alone. Shiro shook his head. He needed to ease the omega’s nerves, _then_ things would go smoothly.

“Calm down,” Shiro said, inching closer until he stood directly in front of the boy. He reached up a hand to wipe the omega’s tears, who flinched at the touch. Shiro decided to ignore it; he was just going to come out and say it.

 “I won’t force you to bond with me. But it’s on the table, if you’ll have me…”

               Shiro craned his neck to the side, offering the omega a clear view of his neck.

“Go ahead. I’ll let you bite me first.”

Shiro wasn’t expecting the sudden bite to his neck, but he welcomed it. The omega had his arm clasped tightly, obviously suspicious of him but trusting enough to give himself over to him. Shiro sighed a big sigh of relief, _he doesn’t hate me._

               The omega moaned as he reciprocated the bite, sinking his teeth in far enough to draw blood but close enough to the skin so as to cause the least amount of pain. Shiro licked away the blood that formed, sealing their bond. _I guess I should introduce myself now._ He took a step back, but the omega seemed as if he didn’t want to let go.

 “I’m Shiro.”

“Lance.”

Shiro smiled, happy that he had gained the omega’s trust and learned his name. Referring to people as numbers was simply cruel, so he was glad to know his new mates name. But now he needed to find number 27, and he was sure that Lance’s trust would be tested if he were to leave now.

 “I know this isn’t very conventional, but I want you to stay here. Wait for me, Lance, and I promise I will return to get you.”

               There was a short pause.

“Why?”

Shiro could see the confusion on the omega’s face, he just hoped that he would agree to stay where he was.

Finally he explained, “There’s someone else I need to save. But I’ll be back for you. Promise.”

               Another long silence passed between the two, and Shiro was afraid the omega might begin to doubt his intentions.

“Mark me.”

Shiro turned up his head, confused.

“Mark you?”

Lance nodded shyly, exposing his newly formed bond mark.

“If you scent mark me, I can trust you’ll come back.”

               Shiro had no problem with that. It was a fair thing to ask, of course. Shiro stepped closer, pulling the omega’s chest to meet his own. He rubbed his scent all over Lance’s neck, the two staying in that position for a few minutes before Shiro finally stepped back.

               “I’ll be waiting for you, Shiro,” the Omega called after him.

Shiro smiled. One down. One to go.

               It wasn’t hard to find number 27. His scent was so strong it practically screamed to him. Shiro followed his nose to somewhere more mid forest, freezing when he heard the sound of voices. He knew the other hunters would be here, he’d have to fight them for the right to bond with the omega.

“Here!”

Shiro’s head turned towards the noise, and he ran towards it, tripping over the body of a fallen hunter. It looked as if he had been stabbed in the eye, the stake going straight through to his brain. _So this omega knows what he’s doing._ Shiro found them just in time, leaping in front of the other alpha to stake his own claim.

               The other hunter was caught by surprise, and Shiro had him pinned under his sheer body weight. A quick blow to the neck ended him quickly, but he could smell that there was another alpha nearby.

“So ….you have a friend?” Shiro laughed to himself.

He took out the second one mostly the same as the first, sniffing the air to ensure there was no one else around. All he could smell now was the omega’s strong heat, and from the looks of things, he had made a run for it. It was easy for Shiro to catch up, the omega not having gotten very far.

               Now it was time to convince this creature that he wasn’t here to hunt him.

“I’m not here to hurt you, or turn you in for ransom,” Shiro started, moving in closer.

               The omega backed away, his fear pheromones growing stronger. Despite this, the omega still had the gall to bare his teeth at him.

“You’re already mated,” the omega said.

 “What do you want with me?”

It was clear no amount of reasoning would be enough for this one. He just needed to bite him and get it over with, and hope he would warm up to him later. Shiro pounced, pinning the small raven-haired boy beneath him.

“No!” the omega begged, “No. No. No.”

“Please, no.”

_Sorry, buddy. It’s for your own good, I promise._ Shiro made the bite quickly, lapping at the blood for the second time that night.

               The omega fell limp beneath him, his heat beginning to cloud his rational thoughts. Shiro pitied him, but he knew that he was doing the right thing. Otherwise, this guy would be sold to the highest bidder and paraded around like some sort of trophy. What a life for an omega.

_._               “Names Shiro,” Shiro said finally, “Come with me.”

Shiro stood, but the omega remained planted in the same spot. He encouraged him to get up by nudging him with his foot, but like a pouting child the omega sat still, refusing to move. Shiro sighed.

“Get up. We’re leaving.”

Nothing.

               “A bit stubborn, I see. No matter,” and so he threw the omega over his shoulder and began to make his way back to Lance. The omega thrashed around for a while, but he could tell that the poor thing was exhausted, and he was on his heat, and soon he felt the omega’s body go limp in his arms.

               “It’ll get better soon,” Shiro assured him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't the end! More to come!


	4. A New Beginning

A New Beginning: Lance

               Lance was worried. Shiro had been gone for quite a long time now, and the continuation of screams did nothing to put him at ease. He had stayed put where he was, leaning himself up against the cliff behind him. It was pitch black out now, and he could barely see his hand in front of his face. If it weren’t for his sense of smell, he would have felt completely isolated.

               Lance crossed and uncrossed his legs restlessly, trying to find a way to get comfortable. Shiro had assured him that he would be back. But how soon he didn’t know. _What if he abandoned me here?_ Lance shook his head to clear the thought; he and Shiro didn’t have the greatest first impressions, but somewhere deep down he trusted the alpha. And now there was nothing left to do but wait.

               Shiro had mentioned rescuing someone, but what did that mean, exactly? Was he still going to turn someone in for ransom? Or was he helping an omega remain unmated? Shiro’s vagueness left a lot to be desired, but there was no point in fretting over it now. The running would be over when the moon reached its peak in the sky, and the final pistol would fire.

               Lance let his mind wander. What was his new life going to be like? Was he going to have a family? Where would they live? Lance craned his head back, allowing it to rest on the cliff behind him. It was far from comfortable, but after the day’s events he was tired, and he couldn’t help but slip into the sweet lull of sleep. He didn’t awaken until the sound of the pistol jostled him awake.

“Crap! What should I do?”

The final pistol was when everyone was supposed to leave the forest and be bussed back to their dorms, where most of the mated omegas would retrieve their things and then go to live with their new alpha. But Shiro told him to stay put here. Panic began to rise in his chest. _What if the busses left without him? What if Shiro isn’t coming back?_ No. Shiro promised he would return for him. This was a test of trust, the first of many he would be facing, and he needed to stay true to his word. He would stay here until Shiro came back, no matter when that may be.

Lance’s stomach growled angrily. It had been hours since he had last eaten, and the temperature had dropped significantly during the course of the night, so he was having trouble staying warm. What he wouldn’t give to have some hot food right about now, curled up under a soft blanket…

“Lance?”

Relief flooded over him immediately. It was Shiro’s voice; he could smell him, but in this darkness he couldn’t see him.

“I’m over here,” Lance called back, and soon the footsteps grew closer to him.

But something wasn’t right. What was that smell? Another omega? Shiro reeked of omegan heat, and blood. What happened out there?

“Good, you stayed. The busses have already left, but I planned on that. My truck is parked on the other side of that hill,” Shiro must have gestured, but in the darkness there was no way to know for sure.

“We’ll head back and grab your things, and then we can head to my—“Shiro corrected himself, “ _our_ new home.”

The moon finally had risen high enough to cast a bit of light on the forest. Over Shiro’s shoulder was Keith, unconscious, but still breathing. Lance didn’t have the nerve to question it, but he did notice the bite on his neck.

               _That dumb alpha went and mated_ **two** _omegas?_ Lance wasn’t too happy with the way things were turning out so far. It was far from his romantic dream.  Nevertheless Lance scrambled to his feet to follow Shiro, who was already making his way over the hill to where his truck was supposedly parked. When they finally made it over the hill Lance saw the truck, an older ford, but in good shape. It suited Shiro in a way. Shiro opened the door for Lance, allowing him to crawl in the passenger seat. Shiro squished Keith in between the two of them, but with Keith’s small stature it wasn’t much of a squeeze anyway.

               Keith didn’t stir, simply falling to the right and resting his body up against Lance. Finally Shiro climbed in the driver’s seat and started up the engine. It took a few tries, but eventually they were up and running.

“So where am I headed?” Shiro asked as if nothing was out of the ordinary, and there _wasn’t_ another omega in heat pressed up against Lance’s side.

“The Omega Preparatory Campus,” Lance gestured to Keith, “He goes there too.”

The drive back was mostly silent. Keith remained asleep the entire time, and from the looks of it he was beaten up pretty badly. Shiro looked worse for the wear as well, but Lance kept his mouth shut. He didn’t want to know the answers. After what seemed like an eternity, (especially since Keith’s pheromones stunk up the whole truck) they reached the school. Shiro looked from Keith to Lance.

               “You think you could grab his stuff too? Looks like he’s out cold.”

Lance’s hair bristled on the back of his neck. That was the _last thing_ he wanted to do. How would he know where Keith kept his stuff? What should he take? Why in the fuck was Keith there with them anyway? Lance snorted angrily, turning away from Shiro and opening the door of the truck.

“Fine,” was all he said as he made his way to his dorm.

               Lance couldn’t lie to himself, he was angry. He had trusted Shiro, and for him to go and mate another omega while he shivered in the cold? Who did this guy think he was? The campus was mostly silent, the busses having came and went a few hours earlier. The good thing about that meant all the dorm doors were unlocked, so he could get Keith’s stuff. Or he couldn’t; but that was against Lance’s obedient nature.

               Lance packed what few things he was allowed to own, which was mostly clothes, a phone, and some old family photos he’d hung onto. Everything fit into his suitcase fine, with room to spare even. Lance frowned. It’s kinda sad that everything he owns can fit in one suitcase. But in society omegas didn’t have rights, so he should feel privileged that he had what he did.

               Lance had to look up what room Keith had stayed in, but luckily everyone’s name was on the outside of the door, so it was easy to find it. Lance walked in slowly, blindly searching for the light switch. The room was practically empty; emptier than he’d ever seen a room. For a brief moment he wondered if Keith had stashed his things somewhere else, or maybe someone had raided the room before he got here. But all of Keith’s clothes (which were nearly all the same, and black, how fitting) were still in the closet. Lance gathered up the clothes and shoes, shoving them haphazardly into the suitcase that was stashed in the closet. Every dorm had one; and a lot of omegas decorated theirs. Keith’s was plain, and somehow that wasn’t at all surprising.

               Lance scavenged through the drawers of Keith’s desk looking for anything worth taking, but most were filled with junk like pencils and things. In one drawer he found a knife, and for a moment he was unsure of whether or not he should pack it. But if he were Keith, he knew he would pack it, so he tossed it in amongst some other things like blankets and books. Keith had no family pictures, no phone, computer, anything. It was almost as if he just… didn’t really live there.   

               But he had to live there; his clothes were there after all. Lance glanced around the room one last time checking for anything else, but finding nothing, he made his way back towards the truck with the two suitcases in tow. Lance tossed them both in the bed of the truck, climbing back into the passenger seat. Keith was still out cold, but he’d shifted to lean on Shiro now.

“Good,” Lance mumbled to himself.

“Got everything?” Shiro queried, looking at Lance.

Lance turned his head to look out the window, averting eye contact.

“Yeah.”

Shiro said nothing after that, simply starting the car and beginning to drive. The drive was long, at least an hour, Lance guessed, and his legs were beginning to cramp. And most of all: he was starving. He hoped that wherever his new alpha lived, there would be a pantry full of food, because if he didn’t eat sooner or later he was going to be just as passed out as Keith.

               They took a turn off the main road and onto a dirt road, following it for a few miles. Just where did this guy live? Lance looked out the window: everything was pitch black, but he could make out the outlines of trees all around him. Great. So of course this guy lives in the middle of nowhere. Of course. Finally the truck pulled up to a log cabin. It was small, with a few windows, and a pile of wood was stacked outside.

               Did this place even have _electricity?_ Dammit. Shiro instructed Lance to grab the suitcases from the back, while he hauled Keith over his shoulder once again. Shiro unlocked the door with his prosthetic hand, pushing the door open and walking inside. The cabin was essentially one big room. There was a couch facing a TV on one end, and a pellet stove in the corner adjacent. On the other wall was a pantry, sink, stove, and refrigerator, and not too far from there was a small dining table.

               Lance sighed in relief. At least there was TV, and electricity, if there was a fridge. Running water was a luxury he never thought to appreciate before now. There were two doors branching off the main room, one leading to a bedroom of sorts, and the other leading to a bathroom complete with a claw foot tub and standing shower. It was very basic, but livable, Lance thought. That is if Keith doesn’t get in the way. 

               “Welcome home,” Shiro said as he placed Keith on the couch. Keith stirred a bit, and Shiro threw a blanket over him.

Lance stood dumbly in the entryway, almost afraid to go all the way inside. But he mustered up the courage and made his way into the main room, the suitcases behind him.

“You can put all your clothes and things in the closet in the bedroom,” Shiro said, but he was busy stocking the pellet stove.

Lance nodded, walking into the bedroom to take a better look. The bedroom was small, but the bed itself was enormous; practically taking up the entire room. It could easily fit all three of them, though the idea of that was not all that appealing to him at the moment. Lance stashed his things in the surprisingly bare closet, opting to let Keith unpack his own things later when he was awake.

               Lance glanced out the window of the bedroom. They were entirely surrounded by forest, he couldn’t even see any lights from the city or other houses out here. Lance pulled out his phone.

“No signal, of course.”

Lance took in a deep breath. As angry as he was, there was nothing he could do about it now. He’d have to learn to make do with what he had, and somehow put up with sharing an alpha with the unsociable emo kid. Shiro peaked his head in to check on Lance, finding him gazing out the window.

               “I know it’s kinda remote. But towns only an hour away, and we have the necessities at least. I wasn’t exactly planning on settling down to mate anytime soon, otherwise I might have had some extra rooms added on,” Shiro paused, placing a hand on Lance’s shoulder, “we could always do that later. Anyways, I know you’re angry right now, and rightfully so. We can talk about it if you wa—“

               Shiro was interrupted by the growling of Lance’s stomach. Shiro laughed, patting him on the shoulder.

“I take it you’re probably hungry. I’ll go fix something real quick. In the meantime, if you want to use the bathroom or shower, feel free.”

               Lance didn’t know whether to like or hate this guy. But the allure of a hot shower called out to him, and he decided to wash away the dirt and grime from the run. By the time Lance had washed himself and dressed, Shiro had made something for them to eat. At this point, Lance would eat practically _anything,_ and whatever Shiro had made smelled heavenly; the scent wafting through the whole cabin. Lance inhaled the scent deeply.

               Meat. It smelled of meat and… potatoes? Lance was pleased to find out that he was right. Shiro stood at the stove, finishing things up. The alpha turned his head and noticed him when he walked in.

“Hope you like deer, it’s about all I had in the freezer. Also had some potatoes, but we’re going to need to go into town to get some necessities soon.”

Lance nodded, seating himself at the small table in the corner of the room. They ate in silence. It was good; Lance had to admit, but he was so hungry he probably would’ve liked just about anything. The clinking of silverware was beginning to fray his nerves, and the silence was growing increasingly awkward. Suddenly Keith let out a loud snore from across the room on the couch, and both Lance and Shiro Laughed.

“We need to talk,” Shiro said after that, taking both his and Lance’s plate and placing them in the sink, “Meet me in the bedroom.”

_That is something I would rather avoid._ Lance just couldn’t decide whether to trust Shiro or not, what if he was going to drag him to bed and breed him? Is that something they would talk about? And what about Keith? Was Shiro going to breed him too? Lance was worried about his virginity; sure, Keith may be in heat, but that doesn’t mean _he_ was. But Lance had heard that it was very common for an omega to be bred on their first night home.

               He tried to hide the shaking of his limbs, and he knew Shiro could probably smell his fear. Shiro seemed to ignore it, following Lance into the bedroom.

“Sit.”

Lance perched himself on the edge of the bed, heart pounding wildly. He wasn’t ready for this part. Did he even want kids? He’d never really thought it out that far. But surely, as an alpha, Shiro would want them?

“I want to talk to you about the other omega.”

               Lance visibly relaxed. With the threat of imminent sex out of the way, Lance leaned back onto his hands. Maybe now he could vent his frustrations to the older man.

“I know you’re not happy that I brought home another omega—“

“Keith.”

Shiro blinked, confused, but finally he put two and two together.

               “Okay. So I know you’re angry about me bringing Keith along, but I wanted to let you know why before you get angry with me.”

_A little late for that._

“There was a large bounty on his head, and I knew the buyers looking to purchase him. Lance, they weren’t good people. Keith would have been forced to bear children over and over, and paraded around like a prize. And I—I couldn’t sit back and let that happen. So I saved him the only way I knew how, and I’m sorry that it probably wasn’t what you expected.”

               Shiro placed a hand on Lance’s shoulder, a gesture of offered friendship. Lance contemplated things for a moment. Sure, no omega deserved the life that Shiro described, but it didn’t take away from the fact that he was angry. After mulling around the words in his head, Lance finally responded.

“I’m not gonna lie to you, I’m angry. And right now, I don’t know if I can trust you. You’re a hunter, you did things like that for a living. Why save Keith? Why not someone else? Is he special to you or something?”

Lance tried to hide his jealousy, but failed miserably. Shiro sighed.

“I wouldn’t consider myself a hunter. The people I helped out were people who needed help, alphas who were injured. Couples that wanted to be united. Never once did I sell an omega to the highest bidder. I understand that you’re weary of me right now, and that’s okay. I just hope you can come to understand why I did what I did, and someday trust me fully.”

               Lance had nothing to say at that. If it were all true, then Shiro really could be trusted. But bringing Keith along for the ride definitely complicated things. Tears flowed down Lance’s cheeks involuntarily, he didn’t want to compete for an alpha’s attention.

“What’s wrong, Lance? You can tell me. Anything,” Shiro soothed, pulling Lance in for a hug.

“I don’t--,” Lance sobbed, “I don’t want to compete with Keith—I’m just afraid—afraid of becoming a third wheel.”

Shiro rubbed Lance’s back, pulling him in even tighter.

“You’ll never have to compete for my attention. You both are important to me, I couldn’t choose one over the other. You’ll never be a third wheel, Lance. Promise.”

               Lance looked into Shiro’s eyes, his own still leaking tears. And then they kissed. Long, slow, yet hesitant. Lance had never been kissed before, but he didn’t imagine it could feel this _good._ It left him gasping for air; arching into the hands of his alpha. Lance couldn’t help himself as the purr escaped his throat. He pulled back, embarrassed.

               But Shiro was having none of that. He pulled him right back in, nibbling at his ear. Lance’s purr grew louder. If this keeps up he’d definitely embarrass himself even more. There was no hiding Lance’s lack of experience, and this was all something new to him.

“Purr for me, Lance,” Shiro whispered into Lance’s ears, “it’s okay.”

He couldn’t have stopped the purr from escaping if he tried. Shiro’s hands, his lips on his scent glands, his tongue lapping at the newly formed bond mark, they drove him crazy. Not all omegas purred, and in general it wasn’t a trait an omega wanted to have. But there was no hiding the pleasure he felt at his alpha’s touch, and he was finally sure. Finally sure he trusted Shiro.

 

A New Beginning: Shiro

               He’d expected this sort of reaction from Lance. After all, it was unconventional to mate two omegas, let alone to _leave_ one to wait in the cold while he went and hunted another one down. So the silence in the truck was predictable; especially given the fact that said other omega had fallen asleep on Lance’s shoulder. Shiro smiled inwardly; it was quite cute, really.

               Keith and he had both sustained some substantial injuries, but nothing life-threatening. Keith seemed to have twisted his ankle in his run from him, so Shiro made a mental note to check on him once he got Lance all settled in. From the looks of things Keith would stay asleep for a while. It smelled like his first heat, and it had probably worn him out.

               Shiro couldn’t help but steal glances at the two omegas nestled beside him in his truck. A few days ago he wasn’t even sure he wanted to settle down to mate at all—but now; well now he had two. He could only hope that the three of them would grow close over time, but given the circumstances now he was probably in for it when he got home. But he was prepared for that; he just needed to explain why he did what he did to Lance, and hopefully he would understand.

               Shiro finally made it to the omegan school, and Lance had gone to get his things and Keith’s as well. Apparently the two were acquainted with one another, though it didn’t appear that they were friends in anyway. Lance slammed the door to the truck as he left. He was angry, but now was not the time to address it. Shiro had to pick the best time to bring everything up, hopefully once Lance had calmed down a bit. Lance’s pheromones, though not as strong as Keith’s due to his heat, smelled of anger, and Shiro didn’t miss the clue.

               But _God_ sitting in the truck with number 27 leaning against him, in full heat…. It was beginning to _do_ things to him. Shiro rolled down the window, trying to air out the cab of the truck a bit. He didn’t want to take advantage of anyone, but any alpha in his shoes would be tempted. And he was tempted. Shiro took a deep breath.

“There will be plenty of time for that later,” Shiro said to himself.

Lance didn’t take long, returning with two suitcases that he threw in the back. Lance angrily climbed back in, and Shiro began the long drive to his cabin. That’s another thing he was worried about: he’d lived in a small cabin alone for so long, there would hardly be enough room for the three of them. He might need to add some rooms somewhere down the road, but for now he hoped his current living conditions would suffice.

               Shiro pulled up into his makeshift driveway (which was essentially just a spot he’d covered with gravel) and shut off the truck.

“Welcome home,” Shiro said awkwardly as he opened the door.

Lance didn’t look very pleased, but he _did_ have another omega slung up over his shoulder. Lance lingered in the doorway, as if afraid to come in. He knew the cabin was small, but it was in good shape. Shiro placed Keith on the couch, covering him with one of the few blankets he kept around. The whole place was heated by a pellet stove, and with only him he didn’t need much in the whole “blanket-department”.

“You can put all your clothes and things in the closet in the bedroom,” Shiro said as he stocked the pellet stove.

Lance glared at him briefly before disappearing into the adjacent bedroom. Shiro waited awhile, allowing Lance to explore a bit. After what seemed like a few minutes, he went in to check on him. He found Lance staring out the bedroom window, phone clutched in his hand.

“I know it’s kinda remote. But towns only an hour away, and we have the necessities at least,” Shiro explained, “ I wasn’t exactly planning on settling down to mate anytime soon, otherwise I might have had some extra rooms added on.”

Shiro paused, placing a tentative hand on Lance’s shoulder.

 “we could always do that later. Anyways, I know you’re angry right now, and rightfully so. We can talk about it if you wa—“

Shiro was interrupted mid-sentence by the loud rumbling of Lance’s stomach, which made him smile inwardly a bit.

“I take it you’re probably hungry. I’ll go fix something real quick. In the meantime, if you want to use the bathroom or shower, feel free.”

The anger-pheromones were strong, and Shiro thought it best to leave Lance be for now. In the meantime he could cook something up for them both. Lance took a long shower, Shiro noted. Not that he blamed him, he himself felt as if he was covered in both blood and the smell of Keith’s heat. But soon the smell of deer and potatoes filled the room, and even Shiro had to admit that it smelled heavenly. He made a bit extra for the omega on his couch, just in case he woke up later.

               Lance eventually emerged from the shower, taking a seat at the table. Shiro tried to strike up a conversation.

“Hope you like deer, it’s about all I had in the freezer. Also had some potatoes, but we’re going to need to go into town to get some necessities soon.”

The omega just nodded, continuing to eat in silence. _This is going to be harder than I thought._ He just needed to be straightforward about it; so once they’d finished eating he asked to talk to Lance in the bedroom. The omega’s pupils grew wide, the scent of fear wafting from him. Poor thing was nervous, but Shiro just wanted to talk. Honest.

“I want to talk to you about the other omega.”

               Lance’s look softened, relaxing a little. _Poor thing probably thought—well never mind._

“I know you’re not happy that I brought home another omega—“Shiro started.

“Keith.”

He was confused for a second, but soon realized that the omega sleeping on his couch was named Keith. That was nice to know, Shiro hated calling an omega a number. They were people, not cattle. Shiro started again.

               “Okay. So I know you’re angry about me bringing Keith along, but I wanted to let you know why before you get angry with me.”

Lance frowned, but his attention was still fixed on him. _So far so good._

“There was a large bounty on his head, and I knew the buyers looking to purchase him. Lance, they weren’t good people. Keith would have been forced to bear children over and over, and paraded around like a prize. And I—I couldn’t sit back and let that happen. So I saved him the only way I knew how, and I’m sorry that it probably wasn’t what you expected.”

               Shiro put his hand on Lance’s shoulder, the omega accepting his touch. It was silent for a few minutes, but finally Lance spoke.

“I’m not gonna lie to you, I’m angry. And right now, I don’t know if I can trust you. You’re a hunter, you did things like that for a living. Why save Keith? Why not someone else? Is he special to you or something?”

Shiro sighed. Of course that’s what he thought—he had been a hunter, and for most omegas that was a bad thing. But Shiro wouldn’t have considered himself a hunter. A “uniter-of-lovers” maybe. And from the sounds of things, Lance was jealous of Keith. It had to be hard to share an alpha, surely, and even Shiro himself knew he had a lot of work cut out for himself. Where did he even start?

“I wouldn’t consider myself a hunter. The people I helped out were people who needed help, alphas who were injured. Couples that wanted to be united. Never once did I sell an omega to the highest bidder,” Shiro paused, “ I understand that you’re weary of me right now, and that’s okay. I just hope you can come to understand why I did what I did, and someday trust me fully.”              

               Lance started to cry. _Shit! What did I do!???What do I do?_

“What’s wrong, Lance? You can tell me. Anything,” Shiro tried to be soothing, pulling Lance into a tight embrace.

“I don’t--,” Lance choked in between sobs, “I don’t want to compete with Keith—I’m just afraid—afraid of becoming a third wheel.”

Shiro rubbed Lance’s back, clutching him even tighter. _So that’s what it is._

“You’ll never have to compete for my attention. You both are important to me, I couldn’t choose one over the other. You’ll never be a third wheel, Lance. Promise.”

               Shiro sealed that promise with a tentative kiss. The omega was clearly inexperienced, but that made it all the sweeter. The boy began to purr, a sound that brought contentment to Shiro’s aching heart. Most omegas didn’t purr, but he was glad Lance did. It made it easier to tell when they were happy. And, (secretly) it turned him on. Probably. Lance must have grown embarrassed, like he had before in the forest as they scent-marked each other, because he tried to pull away.

               Shiro pulled him closer, nibbling at the soft skin of his ear.

“Purr for me, Lance,” Shiro whispered into Lance’s ears, “it’s okay.”

Shiro couldn’t stop himself from nuzzling the omega’s neck, paying special attention to his sensitive scent gland, which was still swollen from their bonding bite. Lance purred loudly in response, encouraging him to continue. After a while Shiro pulled away. If he was to gain Lance’s trust, he needed to do things slowly. And if he didn’t stop now, well…. He might do something he’d regret later. But Lance seemed to have calmed down a great deal, no longer reeking of fearful pheromones.

               “You should go to bed,” Shiro said, rising to his feet, “I’m going to go shower and tend to Keith’s wounds. There’s only one bed, so I’ll sleep on the other couch for now. Just try to get some rest.”

Shiro began to leave the room, a meek voice calling after him.

“You can sleep in bed with me, if you want.”

Shiro smiled down at the omega perched on his bed.

“Sure.”

               True to his word, Shiro did shower. He was covered in blood, but most of it wasn’t his. It was satisfying to watch it all wash down the drain, and relieving to get the smell of Keith’s heat off of him. Shiro was beginning to question his sanity. He took on not one—but _two_ – omegas; which meant two heats every month. He wasn’t sure how long he could control himself honestly.

               Refreshed from the shower, his minor wounds disinfected, he made his way over to the couch to help out Keith. The omega was completely passed out, though he had curled himself into a little ball beneath the blanket. He was cute when he didn’t have a temper.

               Shiro started by wiping him down with a warm wash cloth, removing all the dirt and blood that he was covered in. Other than wrinkling his nose, the omega didn’t stir. Shiro knew his ankle would need to be wrapped, and luckily for them both he was stocked with all the necessary medical items. They were far away from the nearest doctors, after all. It was just as Shiro was finishing up that the boy began to stir.

               _Shit. I hope he doesn’t freak out._ The omega opened his eyes wearily, but his pupils were so dilated he looked as if he was high on drugs. Or the heat. Most likely the heat. The raven-haired boy glanced around lazily, taking in the sights of the cabin before finally settling his gaze on Shiro. That sobered him up quickly, and he scrambled to the edge of the couch to get as far away from him as possible.

               “Where am I?”

Shiro tensed a little, unsure of how to break the news. _Guess I’ll just rip off the Band-Aid._

“Home,” Shiro said, standing to put the medical supplies away.

“What do you mean _home?_ This is not my _HOME,”_ Keith’s expression turned angry.

Keith reached up to his neck, feeling the bite there. It was then that his expression fell, and he tried to rush to his feet. Luckily Shiro caught him in time.

“Okay first of all, you need to stay off that foot,” Shiro scolded, “and secondly: you _are_ home. You are miles from the nearest city, so I don’t want you wandering off. It’s dangerous out there.”

Keith huffed, clearly upset, but he didn’t fight Shiro as he was laid back on the couch.

               “I don’t care that you bit me,” Keith growled, “I’ll never be yours. _Never_.”

Shiro grimaced. This one was going to be tough to crack, but it is what it is.

“It’s obvious to me that you are not lucid at the moment, so I’m not going to attempt to talk to you. Just get some rest here, let that heat wear off. Then we can talk civilly.”

               Shiro hated being so cold, but he had no other choice. Leaving the omega to process things would be best. And so he left, joining Lance in the bedroom. Lance was already fast asleep, sprawled out in the middle of the bed. Shiro chuckled at that. It had been an eventful day for everybody, and they all deserved some rest. Shiro crawled into bed, scooching Lance over a bit to make room for himself. He was tempted to throw an arm over him, but decided against it. He had time. All he needed was time.

 

A New Beginning: Keith

Keith awoke to some alpha bandaging his foot. His eyes fluttered open, taking in his new surroundings. Some sort of cabin. He was on the couch, a blanket thrown over him. _What. The. Fuck._

“Where am I?” Keith demanded, heart suddenly racing in his chest.

               The alpha stood, putting away the medical supplies into some cupboard.

“Home.”

_Excuse me? This is most certainly not my **home.**_ Keith bristled at the alpha on the other end of the couch.

“What do you mean _home?_ This is not my _HOME.”_

Keith surged to his feet, momentarily forgetting that his ankle was out of commission. The alpha caught him, much to his dismay, and placed him back onto the couch. 

“Okay first of all, you need to stay off that foot,” the alpha berated him, “and secondly: you _are_ home. You are miles from the nearest city, so I don’t want you wandering off. It’s dangerous out there.”

_Is that a challenge?_

“I don’t care that you bit me,” he growled, “I’ll never be yours. _Never_.”

The alpha didn’t look too pleased with his words. _Good._

But the alpha regained his composure quickly, standing to leave.

“It’s obvious to me that you are not lucid at the moment, so I’m not going to attempt to talk to you. Just get some rest here, let that heat wear off. Then we can talk civilly.”

               And then the bastard left. Keith blinked a few times, confused. He didn’t expect the alpha to _leave._ He had so many questions! What about his stuff? And where in the world was he anyway? The rush of slick between his legs reminded him of his heat. Shit, he felt so gross. He needed to cleanup at the very least, but with his foot it would be difficult to make it to the bathroom.

               Regardless, Keith half crawled- half hobbled his way to the bathroom to clean himself up. The bathroom itself was nice, and the allure of a warm bath was tempting. Keith filled the tub with warm water, climbing in and resting his foot on the edge of the tub to keep the bandage dry. The water was relaxing, but the thought that that alpha may have soaked in this very same tub made the hair stand up on the back of his neck.

               Once he was all cleaned up, he felt a lot better. His heat was waning now, he could tell, but he still felt like shit. He had no choice but to change back into his dirty clothes, but at least he was clean. Fuck it. Injury and heat aside, he wasn’t staying here. Keith hobbled to the front door, not pausing to look back behind him. It was cold and dark, all forest, but surely there would be a city nearby.

               “Goodbye, you fucker.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Keith. So stubborn, you are.


	5. The Runaway

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait-- university has started up again and I've been busy with some medical issues, but things are on the mend. I hope to update this work more frequently now ^-^ Thanks for reading!

The Runaway: Keith

               So maybe in retrospect it would have been a good idea to heal his foot and pack supplies before he left. But it was too late for that now; the sun was already beginning to rise. Keith had followed the dirt road until he found the highway, but even that much had taken him all night. His ankle was throbbing painfully and he could tell that his feet were beginning to blister.

               But none of it would matter, as long as he got out of there. He had planned on hitchhiking with someone passing by, but the road remained desolate. Of course. They really were in the middle of nowhere.

“Shit,” Keith mumbled, leaning up against a tree to rest for a while.

At this rate he was going to be found out, and the last thing he wanted was to see that stupid hunter’s face again. Even though his heat was almost finished, he still reeked of its remnants. If that alpha _really_ wanted to, he could find him. But the sun was finally high in the sky. _How long had he been sitting here?_

               Keith rose to his feet shakily, beginning to walk once more. He decided to ditch the main road and head into the forest; it was obvious that there weren’t going to be any cars passing by any time soon and sticking to the road would make him easier to find. The dense foliage made movement difficult, but it was better than being right on the road where he would stick out like a sore thumb. Yeah, it slowed his progress; but progress was being made nonetheless.

Keith was exhausted, hungry, and the swelling in his ankle was getting worse and worse. The bandage that the alpha put on the night before helped a little, but he knew if he were to take off his shoes now he wouldn’t be able to get them back on again. Not that he planned to anyway.

               By noon (or so he guessed) he knew that he was being followed. By what, he wasn’t sure, but it didn’t smell human. Every now and then he would catch a glimpse of a lurking figure in the brush, but he just made a loud noise in an attempt to scare it off. His tactics didn’t seem to be working, however, because whatever was following him continued to do so.

“I wish I had my knife right now,” he grumbled.

He was going to need something to defend himself if this creature decided to get any closer; and luckily for him he was pro at making weapons. He’d practiced witling wood enough in preparation for the run. Keith sniffed at the air experimentally; whatever was lurking was far enough away to where he could sit down for a while. It only took a few minutes to carve a branch to a sharp point. It was nothing fancy, but it was something at least.

               A rustling in the bushes behind him dragged his attention away from his carving. Keith looked up, scanning the area for any sort of movement. The forest seemed to stand still, time slowed. Keith could consciously feel the beating of his heart, which threatened to leap from his chest. It all happened in a flash. The bristling beast exploded from its hiding spot, whipping itself around to bare its teeth at him menacingly. He should have known, wolves _were_ native to this area. This one appeared to be druid, (the lucky bastard) which meant he wasn’t going to be attacked by an entire pack. It meant the beast was, quite literally, a ‘lone wolf’. Even so, pinned to the ground as he was he wasn’t going to last very long. In a jagged motion Keith stabbed upwards, impaling the wolf, but it continued its attack, sinking its teeth into Keith’s arm.

               The beast pulled him towards the thick brush, trying desperately to reach his neck and deliver the final bite.

_I didn’t come this far to be attacked by a damn wolf._ In a sudden surge of strength Keith managed to push the wolf off of him and scramble to his feet. His arm was bleeding badly, and he must have aggravated his ankle injury in the heat of the moment because he could hardly stand. The wolf lunged once more, going for the throat, but Keith sidestepped him at the last moment, managing to graze the wolf in its side with his make-shift weapon. That seemed to be enough to fend it off, as it whined and scampered off.

“Great,” Keith muttered, collapsing to the ground in pain.

               His arm throbbed badly, and his heart continued at its rapid pace. Now he was in the middle of nowhere, alone, and bleeding badly. The smell of blood would surely attract more wildlife, but Keith just couldn’t keep his eyes open. _Just a nap._ His eyes began to flutter closed. _Just a nap._

               By the time he awoke it was sunset, but he was miraculously still in one piece. Keith shifted to try to get up, but the pain was too intense. There was no way he was going to able to walk on his foot at all now, but at the very least the bleeding in his arm had finally stopped. He glanced down at the bite: it was deep, it would probably scar. Not that he really cared. The voice of Keith’s teacher rang in his head. _An omega should be blemish free, taking special care to ensure their skin remains as smooth and pale as possible._ Well fuck that. Society may dictate what is “ideal” in an omega, but that didn’t mean he had to adhere to their stupid rules. _An omega should look soft, not muscular. They need to ooze a feeling of submission._ Keith was done being sexualized for the sake of the alphas. Done being told what he can and can’t do; what he can say or not say.

               Keith leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes. If he was going to die, at least he would die free. Free to do what he wanted with his body, free to say whatever the fuck he wanted to. At least that’s what he thought.

Keith’s eyes flew open wide at the sound of rushed footsteps coming toward him.

“KEITH!”

_Fuck. Fuck fuck **fuck**!!! _ He’d been found. Keith gulped nervously as the alpha knelt down to his level, grabbing his arm roughly, inspecting his bite wound inquisitively. Keith bared his teeth and growled his disapproval, but he had no fight left.  He couldn’t fight him, he was just too tired. Too beat up. The alpha scooped Keith up into his arms and carried him to the road, where his truck was waiting, still running. _That alpha sure has one hell of a nose_.

 Keith finally succumbed to the temptation to close his eyes, allowing himself to slip into a state of unconsciousness. He awoke on that damn couch again, but this time he was a lot more naked. The leg of his jeans had been cut off entirely and he had no shirt on. Keith looked around for the alpha, but to his surprise he found someone else. Another omega sat in the chair across from him, and they made awkward eye contact. It didn’t last long, the other omega quickly averting his gaze and ducking into the bedroom.

               It was then that the alpha came out. From the looks of things, he was angry. _Good._ His brows were tightly knitted, and the scent wafting off of him was strong, detectable even from this distance. His bellowing voice filled the entire cabin, sending shivers down his spine.

“I thought I told you to stay put. Now look what you’ve done to yourself. You’re lucky I found you.”

Keith turned his head away from the alpha in an act of defiance.

“I didn’t want to be found.”

The alpha quickly closed the space between them, startling him as they sat face to face. The mere proximity of the alpha made Keith quiver, his instincts telling him to cower in fear. Keith resisted the urge, standing (or at least sitting) his ground. The alpha grabbed his chin, forcing him to look up at him. Finally the alpha spoke.

               “If you _ever_ try something like that again, there will be serious _consequences,”_ Keith looked away, afraid to look at the angry alpha in the eyes, “And trust me. You won’t like them.”

The alpha let go of his face, saying nothing more. Keith wiped his mouth with his arm, which to his surprise had been stitched up. He wanted to ask who fixed him up, who the other omega was, what he was doing here, but at this point he felt that he would be pressing his luck. He didn’t get the chance anyway, for suddenly a head popped out of the bedroom door, peeking out wearily.

“Shiro?”

               The alpha’s expression immediately softened as he looked at the other omega.

“You can go to bed, Lance. I’ll keep watch for now.”

The other omega, Lance apparently, simply nodded timidly, shutting the bedroom door quietly. Keith could smell the fear on him too. Shiro took a seat across from Keith where Lance had been sitting moments before, making himself comfortable.

“Go to bed, Keith. Rest up. Since you can’t be trusted, I’m keeping watch over you.”

_Like hell he was._

Keith thought about saying it, but the scent filling the room was too overwhelming. There was no way he could budge from this spot with Shiro’s eyes on him; with his scent rooting him to the couch.

“That wasn’t a question,” the alpha said sternly, urging Keith to lay down.

And he did lay down. And it didn’t take long for him to fall asleep, either. Keith cringed at the thought of being obedient to the alpha. But he assured himself, he wouldn’t fail. _This isn’t the end, Shiro. You may think you’ve won now, but I assure you this isn’t the end._

The Runaway: Lance

               Lance awoke with a start, blinking a few times as his eyes adjusted to the light in the room. He wasn’t used to having a window, and he was surprised by the amount of light that it let in. Lance glanced to the side, finding his alpha lying next to him; though his back was turned to him. _Am I allowed to get up and leave?_ Lance never paid much attention to the classes he was forced to take as an omega; at the time all he could think about was getting out of there and settling down, he never thought of what came after.

What behavior was acceptable for an omega? From the moment he was born he was groomed to be the perfect submissive, a part of the 10% of the population that had the fortune of being born an omega. But now that he had “settled down,” he didn’t know what to do. Would Shiro get mad at him for getting up and going to the bathroom? Was he expecting him to make breakfast for them all? Should he let Shiro sleep, or wake him now?

Lance sighed. He actually wished he had paid more attention in class now. Well, the least he could do was make breakfast. Careful not to wake the sleeping figure on the other side of the bed, Lance crawled out of bed and made his way to the main room of the cabin. It was even brighter there, and he figured that they must have slept in pretty late. Lance glanced around the house lazily, looking for the other omega that had fallen asleep on the couch.

“Wait a minute…”

He sniffed at the air experimentally, trying to find Keith’s scent. He was on his heat before, his smell shouldn’t be so faint. Lance began to panic.

“He’s not here,” Lance said to himself, “Where’d he go?”

He wasn’t sure if it was polite to wake an alpha, but at this point he didn’t care much for political correctness. If Keith was gone, the sooner they found him the better. Lance rushed into the bedroom, standing at the sleeping alpha’s side. He reached out hesitantly, afraid to wake the man in front of him.

“Shiro.”

The alpha stirred, opening his eyes to look at Lance. He looked to be confused for a moment, but he must have smelled the fear on him, because his pupils dilated and he sat up in bed to look at him properly.

“What’s wrong?”

Lance breathed a sigh of relief; he didn’t look mad. In fact he looked genuinely concerned, not angry at all.

“It’s Keith,” he managed to stammer out, “He’s gone.”

               Now the alpha looked mad. Shiro stood immediately, his large stature towering over Lance easily. Lance backed away subconsciously, afraid of being reprimanded for something. But the alpha walked right past him, entering the main room and taking a survey of the air with his nose, just as Lance had moments earlier.

“Shit,” Shiro mumbled under his breath.

Finally he turned to Lance.

“I’m going to go find him. Lance, stay here while I’m gone. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

               His alpha said nothing more, storming out of the house and starting up his truck. He’d done the right thing. As scary as Shiro was sometimes, his intensity made him who he was: a strong alpha who cared about his omegas. Lance had no doubt that if something ever happened to him, Shiro would be there to come to the rescue.

               He didn’t know how many hours had passed, but the sun was beginning to set now. In his worry Lance hadn’t even gotten dressed or eaten anything. Shiro had been gone a long time. Lance felt his absence strongly, secretly hoping he would return back soon empty handed. Something about Keith just didn’t sit well with him; and a big part of him didn’t want to share an alpha with him. But at the same time, he wouldn’t wish anyone any harm, even if it _was_ Keith.

               Lance was growing light-headed now, so he took a seat on the couch facing the door. His heat was due to start soon, and he was scared. Shiro had shown self-control around Keith when he was in heat, but then again he wasn’t Keith. Now that he was mated, he could get suppressants, but he wasn’t sure if it would be a good time to bring it up to Shiro.

               Omegas were taught to stay pure until they were mated; Lance had never touched himself or used toys to get through his heat. He knew a lot of people did, but it was highly frowned upon. Lance was a virgin through and through; but when his heat comes he loses all rationality. Back in school he would take a few days off and lay in bed through it all, which was extremely difficult and borderline painful. Deep down he was mostly afraid of how Shiro would react, but he was also scared about how he would respond himself. With the scent of an alpha in the room, would he….?

               Lance shook his head. They would cross that road when it happens. But from the looks of things, it would be soon. 

 

The Runaway: Shiro

               In any other circumstance being awoken by his omega would have been a blissful experience. Lance’s face was wracked with a mixture of fear and guilt; and Shiro’s heart sunk immediately. Keith was gone. God d _ammit, Keith._ Shiro rushed out of the house as soon as he was sure Keith was gone—his scent was faint and it was obvious he hadn’t been here for at least a few hours now. The sooner he left, the better chances of finding him.

               Shiro would never have imagined that being mated to two omegas would lead to something like this. It had only been a day and already he was nearing his breaking point; Lance was proving to be very docile, which Shiro liked, but Keith had a temperamental streak in him. But secretly, Shiro probably liked that about him too. He had to give Keith credit: wandering out on his own with a pretty gruesome ankle injury takes guts, though it hovered on the edge of stupidity. Shiro’s truck started with a protesting groan, lurching forward hesitantly in the cold air around him.

               The only thing to do would be to drive. Shiro didn’t think Keith would be stupid enough to stick to the main roads, and he probably wandered out into the forest somewhere. Hopefully as he got closer he would be able to smell him better.

_“Where’s mommy?” a tiny voice resembling his own questioned his father._

_His father stood in silence, a stoic look plastered on his features. His father rarely showed emotion, but he could sense a twinge of worry behind his glazed eyes._

_“Shiro, I need you to stay at home and look out for mommy. I’m going to go looking.”_

_Shiro’s face fell. Somehow he knew; he knew his mother was gone. He knew she wasn’t coming back. But gosh darnit she had a family, a son. Sure his father could be rough, maybe even abusive, but that didn’t change the fact that he needed her. She couldn’t have left him here with that man—that alpha that he swore he would never, ever become._

_“Love your partner,” she would say, “let them know you care. It’s okay to fight sometimes, but never forget to treat your partner with respect.”_

_Tears rose to his eyes, which stung with a pang of guilt. His mother would often give him this advice after she fought with his father. Often she was battered and bruised, and Shiro rushed to her side as soon as things were over. As small as he was he couldn’t defy his father; even if he knew it was wrong to raise a hand to an omega he couldn’t stop him. But moments like these only made his fondness for his mother stronger. He had thought that they were close. She was his anchor, she needed her to stay grounded to this life._

_After the sun had set his father finally returned home. Shiro was hopeful that he would be returning with her, but seeing his father return empty handed had crushed all hope he had left._

_“Where’s mommy?” Shiro asked._

_“Mommy’s dead.”_

Shiro gasped, struggling to breathe. It had been a long time since he had thought about his mother, and the situation at hand reminded him vaguely of the tragic memory. He wouldn’t give up this time. He would find Keith, and take him home. He would take care of him, show him love, even if he didn’t want to be loved. He wasn’t his father.

Shiro shook his head vehemently.

“I’m not my father.”

Shiro repeated that sentence over and over. He wasn’t his father. He would never be an alpha that used fear to manipulate the ones he loved.

               Shiro had all but forgotten the task at hand for a moment, narrowly missing a squirrel that had darted out into the road. He had to find Keith before it was too late. There’s no way he would survive out there through the night; the temperature dropped to below freezing and the wildlife would surely cause a scene. He rolled down his window, hoping to catch a whiff of his scent.

               He drove like that for most of the day. There were times where he could have sworn the scent was growing stronger, only to find that they dissipated just as quickly. He wouldn’t give up. He would search all night if he had to, but he wasn’t giving up. It was sunset when he finally found the scent again.

               Shiro’s heart sped up when he finally locked on to Keith’s scent; he was close, he could tell. Shiro bailed from his truck and followed his nose. It took a while to navigate through the thick brush, but finally he found him. Keith looked near death; he was badly bruised and bloody.

“KEITH!”

Shiro found himself running, stooping to kneel next to Keith’s mangled body. The omega’s gaze bore into his head, and he flashed his teeth in his frustration. Shiro laughed internally. If he could be resistant now, he was going to be fine. Shiro scooped the omega into his arms, making his way back to the truck. The poor boy was out cold, and it was obvious that he was going to need some first aid when they returned.

               The second Shiro walked in the door Lance was on his heels, hovering but staying far enough away so as to give them some space. He laid Keith on the couch, removing what remained of his clothes in order to assess his injuries. Luckily he only needed a few stitches and a lot of rest, which is something that Shiro could provide. Shiro sighed in relief. He was okay. He was badly injured, but he was okay.

               Shiro finally addressed Lance, who was watching patiently from across the room. His mate looked frightened, though given the circumstances that was understandable.

“Lance, could you do me a favor?”

The omega’s eyes darted from Keith to him, and they made awkward eye contact.

“S-sure. Anything.”

Lance shook as he said the words, but he looked to Shiro anyways. Poor thing was scared; of what he didn’t quite know, but Shiro knew he needed to comfort him. Shiro stood, which caused Lance’s pupils to go wide. He could tell Lance was trying to hide his fear.

               He approached his mate carefully, taking care to not intimidate him anymore than he already had. Shiro placed his hand on Lance’s shoulder, and he flinched. Shiro ignored the involuntary reaction, instead speaking to Lance in a low voice.

“Keith’s going to be okay. He was attacked by some animals, but he’ll be fine. Have you slept at all today?”

Lance nodded his head meekly, as if afraid that his answer would somehow offend him.

“Good. I’m really tired,” Shiro admitted, “but I don’t want to leave Keith alone. Could you keep an eye on him for a while while I sleep for a bit?”

The omegas shoulders relaxed, and he looked up at Shiro gently.

“Of course.”

               Shiro watched as Lance took a seat across from the couch Keith was lying on. Lance made himself comfortable, shifting this way and that before finally settling in.

“Thank you, Lance. If Keith wakes up, come and get me. Don’t be afraid to wake me.”

Shiro offered him a smile, which the omega kindly returned.

“Okay.”


	6. New Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so there's a lot of dialogue in this chapter, more so than I would like but... oh well.

New Friends: Lance

               Lance awoke to an empty bed. The sun was just beginning to rise, so he probably only got a few hours of sleep. Shiro must still be keeping an eye on Keith. Lance stretched his lanky arms, yawning tiredly. He was beginning to settle in more and more, and while Shiro and Keith had definitely scared him the night before, he thinks he finally had a sense as to who his new alpha really was.

               It was in his biology to be a bit afraid of alphas, but Shiro was different. He wasn’t the stereotypical alpha that a lot of omegas ended up with. No, Shiro was unusually kind, though possessive, and even Lance had to admit that his first impression of the alpha was far from the truth. Seeing Shiro fawn over Keith last night had been difficult, and Lance had tried to swallow his jealousy. But it did show another side of Shiro, a side that can be stern at times but ultimately conveyed his dedication to his mates. All in all, Lance still feared upsetting his new alpha, but there was a new sense of comfort in knowing that Shiro would take care of them both.

               Lance was still curious about his other omegan-housemate, however. Keith seemed to be impulsive, as was evident by his sudden disappearance. He obviously didn’t think his escape plan through, but he had to hand it to him: he sure was determined. Even so, Lance could sense that something about him seemed a bit _off_. Keith’s heart had been hardened, but by what he didn’t know. There had to be a reason why he was so cold towards everyone—alphas and omegas alike. Not that he would ever share that information.

               Lance listened for any movement in the cabin, wondering if anyone else was up. It was still early, and the emptiness in his stomach was starting to get to him. He hadn’t eaten at all while Shiro was gone, and he had gone to bed without eating anything afterwards. Maybe now he could finally make breakfast. Lance stood, making his way to the fridge as silently as he could. Shiro was asleep on a chair, his head resting on the wall behind him. Lance peeked over the couch to find Keith sound asleep as well. When he was sleeping, he looked almost peaceful, at ease. Keith was pretty. Despite his rough exterior and accompanying personality, even Lance had to admit that Keith was attractive. In a strictly platonic way, of course.

               He wanted to get to know Keith better, but he wasn’t sure how to approach the guy. He was sure Keith wanted nothing to do with him, and he made it very clear that he didn’t want to be here. And deep down, Lance was still weary of sharing an alpha with him. Not that he had a choice. Lance sighed quietly, taking inventory of the fridge. Shiro had mentioned that they would need to go shopping soon for necessities, but he didn’t think that the fridge would be this empty. Seriously, what did this guy eat? Other than a few eggs and a bag of potatoes, the fridge was pretty much empty.

               Lance glanced to the side counter. And half a loaf of bread.

“Not much, but I’ll have to make do for now,” he mumbled.

Shiro and Keith must have both been exhausted, as the various noises in the kitchen had failed to rouse them from their slumber. Lance cooked up some eggs, toast, and shredded two potatoes and pan fried them. It was far from a meal fit for a king, but it was something at the very least. Truthfully Lance really enjoyed cooking, and he was quite good at it in school. He just hoped his skills would be good enough for Shiro.

               Lance decided not to wake them, instead eating his share and leaving the rest out for them later. Keith hadn’t eaten in two days, so he had to be starving. Lance shook his head. It was Keith’s own fault, not his.

                Lance flinched as a hand touched his lower back. He turned his head to find Shiro standing behind him.

“Shiro,” Lance said in surprise, “I made breakfast. I hope you don’t mind.”

The alpha chuckled.

“Thank you, Lance. You didn’t have to do that.”

Shiro served himself before sitting at the table. Lance watched from the corner of his eye as Shiro ate. He looked pleased.

“You cook well, Lance. My eggs are never this fluffy.”

Lance laughed at that, taking a seat across from Shiro.

“A lot of people overcook eggs. The pan needs to be hot before you put them on,” Lance explained.

Shiro nodded, continuing to eat. Lance felt a weird sense of satisfaction watching Shiro eat his food; he was glad he liked it.

               A long period of silence filled the room for a few minutes until Shiro finally spoke up once more.

“I know I need to go shopping for food today. Is there anything you’d like?”

Lance pondered for a moment, coming up blank.

“Um, No. Nothing really comes to mind.”

Shiro stood to put away his dishes, running some water to clean them.

“There has to be something. Really don’t be shy.”

Lance’s face colored.

“Pop tarts.”

Shiro sent him an amused glance.

“Okay, pop tarts. I’ll get them.”

               Lance smiled, looking down at the floor in embarrassment. _Pop tarts? Really Lance?_ Sure, he practically lived off of them in school, but Shiro didn’t need to know that. Now he just looks like an idiot.

Shiro cleared his throat, catching Lance’s attention once more.

“I’m still worried about leaving Keith by himself, so I’m having a friend come by to keep an eye on him while I’m out. I don’t want you to have to worry about watching him.”

Lance nodded, running his hand through his hair.

“Thanks,” Lance mumbled in appreciation.

About an hour had passed before there was a knock at the door. Lance glanced around for Shiro, but he must be in the bedroom or something. _Do I answer the door?_ Lance hesitated a moment, debating what to do. Shiro _did_ say a friend was coming over. The person on the other side of the door must have grown impatient, for soon he was yelling.

“Shiro, open up! It’s me.”

               Obviously if he knew Shiro, and where to find this remote house, he must be the friend spoken of earlier. Lance opened the door, finding a large, chunky man on the other side. He reeked of alpha pheromones, and for a moment Lance shrunk back. He relaxed when he saw the bonding mark on his neck, though.

The man blinked at him, giving him a once over.

“You must be Lance,” he stated, “Hunk.”

The man held out his hand, and Lance shook it.

               Shiro finally emerged from the bedroom, coming to stand at the door behind Lance.

“Hunk. Come in. Thank you for helping me out.”

The two of them stood to the side, allowing Hunk into the main room. He didn’t seem too shocked about their living conditions, so it was obvious he’d been here before.

“So where’s the wild one?” Hunk asked bluntly.

Lance withheld a laugh. That certainly described Keith. Shiro motioned to the couch, where an exhausted Keith lay asleep under a blanket. Hunk approached the omega carefully, eyeing him as he had Lance a few minutes before.

               “This cute little thing is a handful? I wouldn’t have ever guessed,” Hunk smiled, “But then again he _is_ sleeping.”

Shiro laughed at that, patting Hunk on the back in a friendly manner.

“Just you wait. You’ll see.”

After a few minutes of idle chit-chat, Shiro turned to Lance. He had been standing there awkwardly, unsure of what (or if) he could speak.

“I’m gonna head out Lance. You’re free to do whatever you want while I’m gone, I shouldn’t be long. Hunk will keep an eye on Keith, so if you wanna go for a walk or something knock yourself out. Just don’t stray too far.”

Lance nodded obediently, excited at the idea of being able to explore the area around the house. Shiro and Hunk said their goodbyes, and then Shiro was out the door. Lance turned to Hunk awkwardly.

“I, uh… I think I’m gonna take him up on that walk. It feels like forever since I’ve been outside.”

Hunk smiled at him. It was a big, genuine smile, and it warmed Lance’s heart. Hunk was far different from Shiro, he seemed to be more easy-going and playful.

“Have fun,” Hunk offered, “And stay safe.”

Lance promised that he would and ventured out into the woods for the first time.

 

New ~~friends~~ enemies: Keith

               Keith had no idea how long he had been out, but when he finally awoke on the couch there was a strange man occupying the chair Shiro had last night. He was tall, well built and muscular, with dark almond skin. Keith shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to do. The movement must have caught the man’s eye, and he looked up from his reading to look at Keith.

“Well good afternoon, sleepyhead.”

Keith eyed him confusedly.

“Who the fuck are you?”

The man laughed, setting his book on the end table next to him.

“I’m Hunk, Shiro’s friend. I’m here to keep an eye on things while he’s out shopping.”

Hunk stood, walking over to the couch where Keith sat jadedly. The man held out his hand, as if he wanted him to shake it. From this close he could smell that the man was obviously alpha. _Fucking Great. Another one._ When Keith didn’t return the handshake he gave up, sitting down in the chair once more. Apparently Shiro had convinced this guy to babysit him, as if he was a child. Anger swelled in his chest at the thought. From the looks of things, he might never get any alone time ever again. The man returned to his book, smiling down at the pages amusedly.

               This guy was certainly friendly, but an alpha is an alpha, no matter who they were. And Keith did **not** like alphas. Suddenly Keith’s stomach growled noisily. When was the last time he had eaten? Two days ago? He felt light headed and weak, but it made sense now.

“Lance left some food for you in the fridge, if you want it.”

Lance… Wait, where was Lance? Did he go with Shiro? Was he the only one being fucking _babysat_ here?

“I’ll heat it up for you. You need to stay off that foot.”

A few minutes later the alpha returned with a plate full of food. Eggs and hash browns, apparently. He took a bite wearily. _Lance made this?_ It was good. Keith never could cook, and his instructors were always on him about it. Sure, he may be omega, but that doesn’t mean he’s gonna be someone’s housewife. They can cook for themselves, dammit. Regardless the food was really good, and Keith couldn’t really complain considering how hungry he was.

               The man named Hunk seemed to ignore him for the most part, just sitting quietly reading his book. Keith cleared his throat, unsure of how to handle this situation. On the one hand, he wanted _nothing to do_ with an alpha. But at the same time… This guy knew Shiro. He could possibly dig up some dirt on him, figure out what makes him tick. Other than him running away, of course. Keith wanted to make sure that Shiro flat out hated him, then maybe he would just give up and let him go. It wasn’t very likely, but at this point he had no other ideas.

               “So…” Keith started, “You’re Shiro’s friend?”

The man put down his book once more, turning his face towards Keith’s voice.

“Yeah. I’ve known Shiro for a few years now,” Hunk said, “We met in college.”

College. A higher level of education denied to omegas. _Omegas need to focus on their true calling: making babies for their alphas. Taking care of the home._ Keith clenched his fists in anger. Truthfully, he wanted to go to college. If only he had escaped Shiro’s grasp…

               Keith realized he’d been silent for a while, so he spoke up once more.

“What’s Shiro like?”

Hunk gave him a strange look, eyeing him suspiciously.

“Well I figured you would know. Since you live with him now,” Hunk sighed, “But I suppose I could tell you. Shiro’s always been strong-willed; he never really cared about what other people thought about him. He was particularly good at astrophysics, but after a lab accident he moved out here by himself. He’d always been a sort of loner, but not because he wasn’t friendly. He just… liked to have his own space. I don’t know much about his past, he doesn’t really talk about it much. I was surprised when he decided to settle down to be honest. He had originally planned to live in solitude.”

               Keith nodded at the words Hunk spoke, listening with interest. So he had a degree in astrophysics. Keith’s one true dream that would never be realized. If only he’d decided to stay solitary; then he wouldn’t be in this mess.

“I can tell he really likes you and Lance. I’ve never seen him so social before. You’re good for him.”

Hunk smiled, deep in thought.

“Shiro is a good guy. I know he comes off as overly-intense and kind of scary at first, but once you get to know him, and he lets his guard down, you’ll see just how caring he really is.”

“Yeah,” Keith clenched his teeth, “I don’t see it.”

Hunk laughed at that, a deep bellowing laugh.

“You will. Just give him a chance.”

               Keith listened to Hunk for a bit longer, but he soon lost interest. Hunk himself wasn’t all that bad a guy, but he certainly wasn’t about to become friendly with an alpha. The opening of the front door startled him. Lance strode in, a satisfied grin on his face.

“Enjoy your walk?” Hunk asked, turning his attention to Lance.

“Yeah. The fresh air did me good.”

Keith excused himself from the room. It was one thing to be in the same room as an alpha, but it was an entirely different thing to be in the same room as the other omega. He didn’t know why, but he could already tell that he wouldn’t like Lance. Sure, he could cook, but he was just too _happy._

               Keith decided to take a bath, feeling grimy from the night before. The rush of the water over his skin soothed him for a while, and he let himself soak in the tub for a good twenty minutes or so. When he’d finished he’d made his way to the bedroom, opening the closet to see if there was anything clean he could wear. To his surprise he found his own suitcase, stuffed full with his clothes.

“Where the hell did this come from?”

Keith rummaged through the bag, hoping to find the knife that he held so dear to him. To his surprise it was there, thank God. What he didn’t find were his books, which was disappointing. Regardless, at least he had his clothes. He changed into them, finally starting to feel a little bit normal. Keith debated unpacking the suitcase and filling the closet, but decided against it. That would make it look like he wanted to stay. He’s perfectly fine keeping his things in a suitcase.

               Keith peeked out the bedroom door, finding Lance and Hunk happily engrossed in conversation. With a sigh he sank to the bed, deciding to take a little nap. The bed was a lot more comfortable than the couch; that is if you could get over the overwhelming scent of alpha all over the sheets. Strangely enough the scent put him at ease, not that he’d ever admit it. It wasn’t long before he drifted into sleep, allowing himself to completely relax while Shiro was gone.  

 

~~New~~ Old Friends: Shiro

               Shiro browsed the aisles absent mindedly, looking for anything that might catch his eye. He had no idea what kind of food Lance and Keith liked, but given that they were still relatively young, he figured they’d probably enjoy some sweets. He found himself throwing cookies, cereal, and of course Lance’s pop tarts into the cart. The grocery store was a good hours drive away, and when he lived alone he visited maybe once a month. But now he had two more mouths to feed, so he needed to stock up while he was here.

               In the end Shiro spent roughly $400 on groceries, a lot of it consisting of junk foods that he’s sure Lance would like. He never bothered to buy meat, as he had deer meat stashed in the freezer and it would surely last a while. Fruits and vegetables were hit or miss, since they had a short shelf life, but he’s sure Lance would like something to work with if he decides to cook. Lance looked so happy as he watched Shiro eat this morning, and he could tell that the omega really enjoyed cooking. He also bought some… _other_ things. He wasn’t sure if things would get sexual with either of the omegas yet, but it was nice to have supplies on hand just in case. It felt weird throwing them into the cart, though it really was nothing out of the ordinary.

               Shiro paid and loaded the back of his truck with the groceries, starting the long drive back home. The trip had taken most of the day, and he’d like to make it back before the sun went down, and he’s sure Hunk probably wanted to return to his family as well. Hunk already had three pups with his Omega, Shay. They made a good couple. Hunk was pretty easy going, so in all reality Shay really ruled the roost. He was just glad his friend was happy.

               When Shiro finally returned home, he was exhausted. He’d forgotten how much work it was to drive into town. Nevertheless, it was a necessary evil. As soon as he stepped through the doorway Lance was there. The omega ran up to him excitedly, throwing his arms around him. It surprised Shiro for a moment, but he soon smiled and returned the omega’s hug.

“You’re back!” Lance shouted excitedly, bouncing up and down on his toes.

Both Hunk and Shiro laughed.

“You make it seem like I was gone for a long time,” he said, ruffling Lance’s hair.

“What? I missed you!”

               Lance, Shiro and Hunk all helped to unload the truck, bringing all of the groceries inside. Lance looked excited to see so many boxes of pop tarts, and the thought of making him happy made Shiro’s heart swell. Lance was so sweet. He wanted to give him the world. When they’d finished putting everything away, Shiro inquired about Keith. He was informed that he was asleep in the bedroom, and had been out for a few hours. Apparently he hadn’t caused any trouble, which was reassuring. He knew Keith was unhappy with everything, but Shiro truly did want the boy to be happy.

               Shiro peeked at the sleeping boy. Keith was curled up in a little ball, fast asleep. Shiro smiled bitter sweetly, closing the door behind him to give him some privacy. Lance and Hunk looked to have hit it off pretty well, and the two conversed freely. He had a feeling Hunk would be good for Lance, and he hoped Hunk’s good nature would rub off on Keith, even if just a little bit. Shiro returned to the group conversing, and they soon started saying their goodbyes. Lance kept asking if Hunk could come back, and he snickered and said he would. Hunk even offered for the three of them to come over and meet his family sometime, which excited Lance to no end.

               Shiro walked Hunk to the door, stepping outside with him to converse privately.

“So how did things go? Did either of them give you any trouble?”

Hunk rolled his eyes amusedly.

“Lance is such a sweetheart, and he loves to talk. But so do I, so we got along well. Keith and I conversed briefly, and he did eat and bathe today, so that’s good. He asked about you. Despite his cold exterior, I do think he is at least somewhat interested in you.”

Shiro nodded, happy to hear Hunk’s words.

“Thanks for everything, Hunk. Tell Shay and the kids that I said hello.”

“Will do,” Hunk said with a wave, and then he was gone.

Hunk was one of Shiro’s closest friends. Hunk would do anything for him, even if it meant being away from his family for the whole day. Shiro felt lucky to have a friend like him.

               Finally Shiro returned to the main room, finding Lance already looking through the pantry. Lance blushed when he was caught with the pop tart box in his hand, which was really cute. Shiro couldn’t help himself; he just had to scoop Lance up in his arms. Lance gave a little squeal as his was swept off his feet, and Shiro showered him with little kisses. Lance giggled, burying his nose in Shiro’s neck. They met eyes, looking at each other lovingly.

“You’re cute,” Shiro whispered to the boy nestled in his arms.

Lance blushed, his cheeks turning pink. And then he leaned in for a kiss. It was slow, sensual, filled with passion. It was as if their love was transferred through their lips, sending it running all throughout their bodies, from their heads to their toes.

               “I love you,” Lance whispered.

Shiro grinned like a child.

“I love you too, Lance.”

               Shiro let him down, feeling somewhat empty without the lanky omega in his arms.

“It’s getting late. You should probably shower and get to bed.”

Lance’s smile fell a little, but he bounced back quickly.

“Okay. Let’s snuggle tonight, okay?”

Shiro’s lips tugged upwards into a smile.

“Sure, Lance.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lance and Shiro are growing closer! But what about Keith?


	7. Heat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've been busy with Uni and my brother, nephew, and sister-in-law who came to visit for a week. So this chapter is long overdue... and I'm sorry for the wait. For the most part this is just a transitional chapter, with a bit of smut.... Regardless I hope you enjoy!

Heat: Lance

               Shiro and Lance ended up spooning on the couch so as not to disturb the salty omega sleeping in the bed. Lance had his face buried in Shiro’s chest, allowing himself to inhale his musky scent as much as he wanted. They must have drifted off like that, because the next thing he knew he was awake in Shiro’s arms. Lance’s heart beat quickly; he was sweaty, and the slick between his thighs flowed freely, especially since he was pressed up close to his alpha.

               Lance panicked. He wasn’t sure what Shiro would do if he woke up to Lance’s strong smell, and he wasn’t sure what _he_ would do if he remained this close to Shiro for any longer. Lance scrambled out from under Shiro’s arm, but the alpha didn’t stir.

“Shit.”

He wasn’t sure what to do. On the one hand, it’s completely normal for an alpha to help their omega through their heat, right? But on the other hand… he was scared. He knew it was totally stupid, but he couldn’t stop himself from worrying. What if Shiro just went animalistic and forces himself on him? What if it hurt? What about pregnancy? Did he even want kids? It’s not like he could just _ask_ Shiro to have sex with him. Could he?

               The room began to spin a bit, and Lance grew wobbly on his feet. He needed to get away from Shiro for a while so he could think. But the only other room in this house was the bedroom, where Keith was probably still sleeping. Lance glanced from Shiro to the bedroom door, weighing his options. He could wait here, but if Shiro woke up he wasn’t sure what he would do, or say for that matter. Or he could go in the bedroom with Keith, and just hope that the other omega wouldn’t blow up at him. With a sigh Lance pushed open the bedroom door.

               Keith wasn’t asleep. He sat perched on the edge of the bed, seemingly preoccupied looking out the window. He turned as Lance entered, eyes growing wide in a mixture of anger and fear, but he relaxed when he saw it was only Lance.

               Truthfully the two of them had never talked. Even in school, Keith tended to keep to himself and he had a reputation of being easily angered, so in general he was always alone. Lance on the other hand had a lot of friends, he was pretty outgoing in school. But even with all of his people experience, he knew Keith wouldn’t be easy to talk to. They were living together now, though, so he guessed he had to talk to him sooner or later. But right now, he’d prefer later.

“Lance?” Keith apparently knew his name, “Are you…?”

Keith didn’t have time to finish the question, because Lance’s legs gave out on him a moment later.

“Seriously? Now?”

Keith sounded angry, but Lance couldn’t bring himself to care right now. He just wanted to strip down and lay in bed, be left alone for a while. To his surprise Keith hobbled over to him, helping him to the bed. Lance didn’t know what came over him, but he was suddenly crying. Sobbing, more like it.

               “Lance?” Keith questioned, “You okay?”

Lance tucked himself into a ball, hugging his knees to his chest. He couldn’t breathe, it was so hot… His heats had never been this powerful before, though they did say your first one after you’ve bonded tends to come on particularly strong. But he never imagined it would be _this_ bad. Lance muffled a groan, sobbing into his jacket.

“Fuck. Lance…. It’s just a heat. You’ll be fine,” Keith tried to reassure him, but truthfully he had only ever experienced one heat in his life.

               Keith sat on the edge of the bed staring at him. Lance could feel his eyes on him, but he didn’t have the strength to do anything about it. Keith was being awfully nice to him, and Lance was surprised. Maybe Keith wasn’t that bad after all.

“You just _had_ to come in here, didn’t you?”

Lance took it back. This guy was a jerk.

“I’m scared,” Lance choked out between sobs, “It’s… it’s never been this bad before.”

He heard the other omega sigh in annoyance, and soon he was on his feet.

“Where are you going?” Lance panicked.

Sure he didn’t _like_ the guy, but the thought of being left alone in this state was even scarier.

“To get that fucking alpha… Shiro or whatever. You two _obviously_ get along, so just let him fuck you.”

Lance’s face turned bright red at his words.

“STOP! Don’t tell him, please don’t tell him! I’m not ready, I don’t want—“

Keith’s angry voice cut him off.

“Do you _really_ think he won’t find out? As soon as you walked in the door even _I_ knew. As soon as he wakes up he’ll know. This is what you wanted, right? To be knocked off your feet and whisked away by some stupid alpha? Man the fuck up!”

               Lance couldn’t help the heaving sobs that escaped him. He loved Shiro, he really did, but he was scared. He wasn’t ready for this.

“Please,” Lance begged, “Please don’t tell him.”

Keith looked at him for a moment, and for a second it looked like Keith actually _pitied_ him. But the moment was gone quickly, and soon Keith was hobbling out the door.

“NO!!!” Lance called out after him, but the other omega ignored him.

_Shit. Shit, shit, shit._ What was he going to do? Shiro is going to come in here and take one good look at him and then he’d be a goner for sure! Lance’s crying was interrupted by a tentative knock on the door.

“Lance?” Shiro’s voice, “Can I come in?”

Lance’s entire body stilled. He couldn’t think straight, his body was yearning for Shiro but his mind was still unprepared. He knew that as soon as he could smell Shiro up close, he wouldn’t even be coherent.

               A moment later Shiro entered the room, finding Lance curled up in ball on the bed.

“Lance…”

“No!” he screamed, his entire body shaking, “No.”

Shiro looked down at him sadly, taking a seat on the opposite edge of the bed.

“Lance, it’s okay. I’m not going to force you into anything you don’t want.”

Lance’s breath hitched in his throat. He wasn’t going to…? Was Shiro not attracted to him? Was he not good enough? Maybe he was right before, Shiro really wanted Keith. That’s why he could control himself around Lance’s overpowering smell. The thought caused him to break into even more tears. He probably looked like a blubbering idiot.

               Shiro sighed, reaching over to pull Lance into his lap. He struggled to get away, but the overwhelming scent of alpha kept him still.

“Shhh…. It’s okay,” Shiro soothed, running his hand through Lance’s sweaty hair.

“S-scared,” was all he could manage to say, but Shiro just continued stroking him calmly.

“It’s okay to be scared, Lance. Like I said before, I won’t do anything unless you want me to.”

Lance continued to shake in his alpha’s arms, but truthfully the warmth was beginning to calm him down a bit.

“Shiro,” Lance squeaked out in a tiny voice.

“Hmm?”

“Are you not attracted to me?”

Shiro looked down at the omega, confused.

“Why would you say that?”

Lance’s face grew red with embarrassment.

“Is that why… why you aren’t doing anything? Is that why you mated Keith too?”

Lance buried his face in Shiro’s chest, afraid to look him in the eye. Shiro didn’t say anything for a moment, but then he took Lance’s hand into his own and placed it on his crotch. Shiro was… hard?

               “Lance, you are one of the most beautiful omegas I know, and believe me, I’ve seen a lot of them. Of course I’m attracted to you. But I care about you too much to hurt you. So if you don’t want me to do anything, then I won’t. Because I respect you, Lance.”

Lance peeked out from his hiding spot, finally looking Shiro in the eye.

“Really? You aren’t… upset with me?”

Shiro chuckled, which shook Lance’s entire body.

“Of course I’m not upset with you. Why would I be?”

Lance met Shiro’s eyes once more, entranced by the deep brown of them.

“So you don’t… want to…?”

Shiro pulled Lance in tighter.

“Of course I _want_ to. But I want _you_ to want to too.”

               Lance didn’t know what came over him, the heat, most likely, but he reached up to cup Shiro’s face with his hands.

“I want to. I’m just… scared. I’ve never…never done anything like this before.”

The alpha stooped down to kiss Lance softly, which only fueled the fire igniting inside of Lance.

“It’s okay to be scared, Lance, I’ll take care of you. If you want to stop, you just say the word.”

Lance’s mouth went dry. Between the warmth of Shiro’s arms, the musky smell emitting from his scent glands, and the hard bulge pressing against his leg, all he could manage was a nod. Shiro shifted lance off of his lap, maneuvering to envelop Lance’s small body with his own, larger one. His alpha leaned down to kiss him gingerly, pressing his leg in between Lance’s.

               Lance couldn’t help the moan that escaped his throat at that, and he found himself rutting against Shiro’s leg. Lance knew Shiro would take care of him. He was still scared, but this was Shiro he was talking about; he knew that Shiro wouldn’t do anything to hurt him. Finally the alpha broke the kiss, pausing to stare down at the omega beneath him.

“I’m gonna take your clothes off, okay?”

Lance nodded, excited at the thought of being freed from his clothes. His alpha removed his shirt gingerly, pausing to look at Lance as his hands reached for his fly. Lance couldn’t take it anymore, he needed Shiro _now._

“Please…”

That was all the encouragement Shiro needed. In one swift tug Lance was freed from his jeans and boxers, and now he lay bare in front of a fully-clothed Shiro. His entire body flushed a deep red, embarrassed to be so exposed like this.

               “Beautiful,” Shiro whispered.

Lance turned his head away, avoiding eye contact.

“Are you going to undress too? I’m feeling a little… exposed.”

Shiro chuckled, removing his own clothes as well. Shiro was very muscular, and he was covered in scars. Lance wanted to ask about them, but he figured now isn’t the time. Lance shyly glanced down at Shiro’s crotch. _Shit, he’s huge. There’s no way that will fit inside me!_

Shiro seemed to sense his apprehension, so he leaned back over Lance and began running his hands all over Lance’s body, exploring. Lance felt emboldened by the look Shiro gave him, and he found himself running his own hands across Shiro’s rock-hard stomach. His alpha was breathing as heavily as he was now, his cock pressed up against Lance’s stomach.

               Shiro slowly snaked his hands lower, skirting past Lance’s small erection and fondling his inner thighs. Lance moaned, spreading his legs apart further. Shiro took that as an invitation, sticking a finger inside slowly.

“AH!”

Lance had never had anything _inside_ him before, but Shiro’s fingers felt… good. It was a bit uncomfortable at first, but soon slick came rushing out of him, coating Shiro’s fingers even more.

“You’re so wet, Lance.”

Lance blushed at his alpha’s words, finally mustering enough courage to look Shiro in the eye. Shiro stared back; he looked completely enraptured by Lance. That thought made Lance even more excited, causing even more of his slick to come rushing out. Shiro slipped another couple of fingers inside, making sure to stretch him open thoroughly.

               Lance practically _keened_ at the sensation, Shiro’s fingers curling up inside of him and hitting a sensitive bundle of nerves.

“Un… Ha…” Lance couldn’t help the groans escaping his mouth, and he could tell it only further fueled Shiro’s lust.

After a while Shiro withdrew his fingers, earning a loud protest from Lance. Without Shiro’s fingers, he felt… empty. Like something was missing. His alpha leaned over to the nightstand, rummaging around until he found a condom. Shiro rolled it on expertly, which made Lance curious as to how much experience he really had. It wasn’t all that uncommon for alphas to mess around with unmated omegas, and even betas at times. But Lance’s thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of Shiro’s dick pressed against his entrance.

               “You okay?” Shiro questioned, making sure his omega was comfortable.

Lance nodded, barely comprehending his words. All he could focus on now is the deep aching inside of him; he needed Shiro inside him _now._ The feelings of fear had all but disappeared, and Lance found himself pushing down on his alpha’s cock, urging him to enter. Shiro slid in slowly, pausing every once and a while to let Lance get used to the feeling. He’d never felt so _full_ before, but it didn’t hurt. The two stayed like that for a minute, until Lance instinctually wrapped his legs around Shiro’s waist.

               Shiro took that as permission to start moving, sliding himself in and out slowly.

“ _Fuck,”_ Lance whimpered.

Even though Lance’s eyes had fluttered closed, he could still feel Shiro’s eyes on him. Lance never imagined sex could feel this _good._ Lance was openly panting now, tightening his legs around his alpha, urging him deeper, deeper. Shiro groaned at that, speeding his thrusts to an almost impossible pace.

“Ah! Ung! Sh-Shiro… Nn.”

Shiro slowed his movements, making sure Lance was okay.

“Harder, Shiro. Harder!”

Shiro laughed a bit, happily complying with his needy mate’s request. His alpha leaned down to capture his lips with his own, their tongues intermingling in a fit of passion. Lance moaned into the kiss, wrapping his arms around him, completely wrecked with everything that was _Shiro._

Lance felt himself getting close, though to what he didn’t know. He knew that omegas could orgasm, but he’d never experienced it before.

“Shiro… I think…. I think I’m close.”

Shiro growled with excitement, obviously approaching the same thing himself. His thrusts were growing more and more erratic, his cock reaching places deep inside Lance that he didn’t even know he _had._

“Lance.”

Lance opened his eyes to look at Shiro.

“Is it okay if I knot you?”

His alpha’s words sent him over the edge as he nodded ecstatically; Lance’s orgasm washed over him, his toes curling and his hands clasping at Shiro’s muscular back as he came all over himself.  His hole quivered, tightening around Shiro’s cock, drawing him in deeper. Shiro’s knot began to swell, stretching Lance’s entrance even further. It hurt; Lance scrunching his face up in a mixture of pain and ecstasy. And then Shiro’s knot popped fully inside of him, stretching him farther than he ever thought possible.

“Sh-Shiro,” lance growled, reveling in the feeling of fullness inside of him.

His alpha kissed him as he came, the two completely enraptured by each other. They stayed like that for a while, Shiro’s knot plugging him up. Lance was showered with kisses and praises, telling him how well he did. Finally his alpha’s knot deflated enough for him to pull out, and Shiro rolled off of him, ridding himself of the condom.

               Lance reached for his alpha, pulling him close as he caught his breath. They cuddled in silence for a while, and Shiro thought Lance had fallen asleep, but a voice proved otherwise.

“Sorry about the sheets,” Lance said, embarrassed.

They were covered in his slick and semen, but Shiro didn’t seem to mind.

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll change them as soon as your heat ends.”

“Shiro?”

His alpha hummed in response.

“Can we do it again?”

 

Heat: Keith

               Keith knew it wasn’t his place to intervene. Really, he did. He _had_ morals. But that didn’t subtract from the fact that he was mad. Fuming, even. He should have probably felt sorry for the other omega when he collapsed on the floor, but he didn’t. This guy made it _very clear_ that he wanted to be here. So knock yourself out, Lance.

               Lance didn’t know what he wanted. When he begged Keith not to tell Shiro, anger bubbled inside of him. He didn’t like Lance. He didn’t like Shiro. What’s it to him if they both get all lovey-dovey? Maybe it will give him the space he desperately craved. So before he knew it he found himself out in the main room, staring down at the sleeping bastard that had ruined his life.

               Keith nudged him repeatedly, finally waking him. Shiro looked surprised to see him standing there, but he didn’t say anything. Just stared at him. Like some fucking zoo animal. Keith cleared his throat.

“Lance needs you. He’s in the bedroom.”

Keith said nothing after that, choosing to plop down on the couch adjacent to him.

               He could tell when the alpha smelled it. In no time at all Shiro was on his feet, but he hesitated at the door. _Just fucking leave already, dammit._ And then he went in. It didn’t take long. The two of them were _very_ vocal, and Keith gagged at the thought of it. Why in the hell would anyone _want_ this? Keith was tempted to step outside, but something inside him feared the retribution he might face. This was stupid. He shouldn’t have to live in fear, let alone let an _alpha_ determine his actions.

               Keith glanced down at his arm, studying the stitches. He’d learned his lesson; there was no way to run away on his own. He’d need to get to a populated area and then make his disappearance. Fat chance of that happening. He knew Shiro didn’t trust him, and the feeling was mutual. If he could just get into town…

               Keith sighed heavily. He’d have to lie. Pretend to be obedient. Gain Shiro’s trust, convince him to go into town. Then he could make his escape. In the meantime his foot needed to heal, anyway. Finally the obnoxious sounds subsided, and Keith breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t know how much longer he could stand listening to them _consummate their love_. _Gross._

Keith helped himself to the pantry, not wanting to have to _share a meal_ with the two lovebirds. He had a feeling they’d be holed up in there all day anyway. Appetite satiated, Keith laid down on the couch once again. There was nothing to do in this place. There was a TV, but it looked so old and dusty he doubted it worked anyway. And then the noises started up again.

               “Are you fucking _serious?”_

Keith grabbed the throw pillow, attempting to smother the sounds with it. It helped a little, but he still knew what was going on behind that door. He stayed like that for a while, dosing off intermittently. It must have been close to 6 pm when Shiro finally emerged from the bedroom. In his arms was a semi-conscious Lance, and they went directly for the bathroom.

               They’d left the bedroom door open. Keith peeked inside from where he was perched on the couch, finding evidence of the carnage left behind. The room _reeked._ It smelled like needy omega; and a satiated alpha. There’d be no way he’d be able to sleep on that bed again now. Which really sucked, considering how uncomfortable the couch was. Keith slumped back down onto the pillow, closing his eyes. Nothing to do here but sleep, so sleep he did.

               He slept for a few hours before awakening to the sound of sizzling on the stove. The smell was much better now. They must have changed the sheets; and the smell of food helped too. The door to the bedroom remained open, and a sleeping Lance lay on the bed, sprawled out comfortably. Keith sat up slowly, rubbing the blurriness from his tired eyes. Shiro took notice.

“Keith.”

Keith ignored him, hoping he would stop talking, but the alpha continued.

“I think I’m going to head into town here soon, and I was thinking…”

This would be good.

“….that maybe we could get you a proper mattress. So you don’t have to sleep on the couch.”

               This could be his chance. His chance to get to the city.

“That’d be great!” Keith jumped at the opportunity, and from the look of the skeptical alpha, he’d definitely aroused suspicion.

Keith cursed at himself silently. He had to make it believable.

“I mean… that’d be fine. I guess.”

Shiro looked at him suspiciously for a while longer, before finally turning away.

“Okay then. I’ll pick something up when I go into town next.”

               Wait. Did he not get to go? He couldn’t even pick out his own _fucking mattress?_

“I… uh,” he paused hesitantly, “Could I go too?”

Shiro practically dropped the spoon he was holding, sending it clamoring to the floor. There was a long silence.

“I know you’d probably like to go into town. I know it’s a bit boring here. But truthfully I have some business to take care of in town, and I’ll be gone for a few days.”

Keith cringed at the thought of sharing a hotel room with the man. And what the heck did he mean by “business”?

“But maybe next time? If you want to pick it out than we can wai—“

“Forget it.”

Keith shifted to turn and face the couch. Of course he couldn’t go. He’d be stuck in this hell hole with that melodramatic omega. For days.

               “I’m having another friend over to keep watch and help you two out. She’s a beta, and doesn’t have kids, and she’s around your age I suppose. Hunk would’ve come over but with his family—“

Yeah no. The last thing he wanted was for _that guy_ to stay with them for a few days. He was too… bubbly. Truthfully, if things had been different, like in some alternate universe where he wasn’t cursed with his secondary gender, he might’ve liked the guy. But Keith doesn’t do alphas. They were all scum. Keith tuned Shiro out, mulling things over in his head. He’d have to be patient. The right time would come. Plus, his foot needed to heal anyway. That way he could make a quick getaway.

 

Heat: Shiro

               Lance’s heat had taken him by surprise. Shiro scorned himself. He should have noticed; should’ve smelled it coming. It made him uneasy, made him question his bond with Lance. He loved him, he knew that much for sure, but he still felt like he should have been more _in tune_ with his partner.

He didn’t expect Keith to wake him on the couch, either. He’d made it clear to Lance that he could wake him at any time if he ever needed anything, so at first he thought it was him. But staring down at him was the other raven-haired omega, looking both angry and slightly annoyed. But he smelled it now. The overwhelming aroma of an omega in heat, a mixture of all that is sweet with just a hint of forest musk. It was intoxicating.

               He’d rushed to his feet without even thinking, rushing to the door. But he stopped there. If Lance _really_ wanted him in there, wouldn’t he have asked himself? He knew that the two of them had been cuddling on the couch last night, so Lance must have gotten up and moved to the bedroom at some point. Does that mean he wants to be left alone? He didn’t want to pressure the omega into anything. Even if the idea of it excited him. But Keith had said Lance needed him; maybe he asked Keith to get him. He wasn’t positive of the previous relationship the two may or may not have had, so it could be a possibility.

               But the whimpers on the other side of the door tugged at his heart. He’d go in there and ask Lance what he wanted. If he wanted to be left alone, that’s fine; but he couldn’t just stand around and do nothing while his mate suffered. Shiro opened the door hesitantly, finding his mate writhing on the bed uncomfortably. He was still fully clothed, which Shiro was thankful for. He needed to show some self-control; if Lance had been naked…. He didn’t know what he would do. Already his instincts were dragging him to his mate’s side, and his scent was growing stronger and stronger in the presence of the omega.

               Lance was scared. He could smell it on him, the entire room practically reeked of it; he had to calm him down.

“Lance,” Shiro cooed, trying to sound reassuring.

The omega shrieked, yelling ‘no’ again and again. Poor thing thought he was about to be raped. Shiro assured him that he wouldn’t do anything that Lance didn’t want, and the omega started to relax with that knowledge. Lance trusted him. He wouldn’t, _couldn’t,_ betray that trust. As Lance’s trembling began to subside, tears began to flow. _Shit, AGAIN? What did I do this time?_

               Shiro hated seeing people cry, and seeing the usually happy Lance break down into tears broke his heart. It seemed that no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t seem to keep both of his mates happy. And he wanted them to be happy; he knew the world was fucked up, but at the very least he wanted them to be _happy._ Shiro silently pulled Lance into his lap, settling his hand on Lance’s head and stroking the hair there soothingly.

               One thing he loved about Lance was that he was so open with him. If something was on his mind, he would say so. With Keith, well… He had no idea what went on inside that guy’s head. So Lance expressed his concerns through bleary eyes, tucking his face into Shiro’s chest, embarrassed. He was still jealous. Of Keith. It made sense, after all mating two omegas wasn’t all that common, but it did happen occasionally. He must have been feeling like he had to compete with Keith, or that Shiro liked Keith better than he liked Lance.    

               “Are you not attracted to me?” the omega had asked, voice timid.

Shiro answered the only way he knew how, placing Lance’s hand over the harness that was still growing between his thighs. It startled Lance, he could tell, but he knew it was the right thing to do when Lance dared a glance at him, looking hopeful. _Fuck. I want him so bad…._

               His omega was scared, and Shiro understood. An omega’s first time was something special, a memory that will either haunt him forever or one he’ll be able to look back on fondly. He wanted Lance to remember his first time as something extraordinary, a memory he’d never want to forget. Shiro remembered his first time. It wasn’t all that great, and it wasn’t particularly memorable. He barely recalled the omega’s face, but he knew that he had slept around. It needed to be different for Lance. He wanted to show his mate that he doesn’t have to suffer through his heats anymore, that they could actually be _pleasurable._

               When Lance had finally settled down completely, he could sense the shift in atmosphere. Lance’s scent changed from fearful to enticing, and Shiro was slowly being driven mad. When Lance meekly nodded his consent, he hungrily captured the boy’s lips in his. The omega reeled, purring into his mouth. God, he was so lucky. Lance was so sweet, so beautiful, so… _sexy._

               They took it slow the first time. The second time they moved a little faster. By the fifth or sixth Lance had completely let go of any of his inhibitions, clinging to Shiro as if his life depended on it. Lance’s voice was incredible, he voiced exactly how he felt. It made his hunger for him grow even more; Lance was needy in bed, demanding even, and Shiro loved every minute of it.

               He didn’t realize that they’d spent the whole day in the bedroom until the sun was setting. _But what a great way to spend a day._ Shiro only hoped that Lance would look back on this moment as fondly as _he_ would.  With a day full of heated sex comes the cleanup afterwards. Shiro rolled over to look at Lance, still panting from their latest excursion. Lance was covered in sweat, slick, and Shiro’s own cum. He looked completely… _wrecked._

“Lance.”

Lance turned to look at him, still reeling in the after-effects of his last orgasm.

“Let’s clean you up.”

               His omega nodded, though Shiro wasn’t sure Lance was really coherent at the moment. Regardless, Lance needed to be cleaned up and they both would probably feel better after a nice bath. So Shiro scooped Lance up in his arms bridal-style and carried him to the bathroom, ignoring the evil stares Keith sent their way. He’d have to talk to Keith later.

“Want me to start the water?” Shiro asked, bending over to start it anyway.

Lance’s words startled him.

“Stay.”

Shiro looked over to Lance, who was currently struggling to remain upright. Yeah. He probably couldn’t bathe himself.

Neither of them said anything as Shiro stripped off the pants he’d had the decency to put on before walking out into the open.             

               Lance looked pleased. Once the tub had filled Shiro climbed inside, gesturing for Lance to follow suit. Lance was starting to come to; he could tell from the small blush spreading across his face. But he climbed in anyway, settling between Shiro’s legs.

“Shiro…” Lance started, humming as Shiro washed his body.

“Hmm?”

“Thanks.”

Shiro smiled. This. This is what he wanted. He wanted to be close to somebody, take care of them, love them like they deserved. And sex was a bonus, he had to admit. Lance was perfect: beautiful, funny, a bit quirky—he was _Lance,_ and he wouldn’t want it any other way.

               His thoughts were interrupted by Lance’s soft whimper.

“One more,” Lance begged, grinding his ass back on Shiro’s hardness.

“Lance… It’s been a long day. You need to rest—“

“Just one more.”

Lance’s eyes pleaded with him silently. Shiro was a slave to those eyes, he realized. He couldn’t say no. He was completely and utterly _fucked._ Lance squealed as he was flipped over, his torso hanging out over the edge of the tub. Shiro took in the sight of him hungrily: his soft brown skin, his plump cheeks… every part of him.

               Shit, he had it bad.

He didn’t have to stretch Lance out much, but he took his time fingering his hole. Lance mewled at the attention, thrusting his ass back towards him desperately.

“Please…”

Shiro ignored his pleas, focusing in on the spot he knew drove Lance crazy. He moved his fingers over it again and again, Lance clinging to the edge of the tub as if his very life depended on it.

“Shiro!”

Lance grew desperate, reaching back to blindly grab at Shiro’s length. Shiro slapped his hand away, spreading his cheeks wide as he leaned forward. Lance must have realized his intentions too late, crying out as his tongue worked him open.

“Shiro—no. D-dirty.”

               Shiro worked his tongue around expertly as slick flowed from his hole. Lance had _said_ no… But he didn’t seem to be protesting now. His mate purred loudly, pushing back on his tongue. It’s obvious he liked it. Shiro continued for a few minutes, much to Lance’s dismay.

“Shirooo—“Lance whined, “Please!”

Shiro chuckled at his pleas, finally giving Lance what he wanted. He pressed up into him slowly, sinking home until his hips were flush with Lance’s ass. Lance whined wantonly, tears of pleasure running down his face.

               Shiro wasn’t small by any means of the word. But Lance took him in so beautifully, so _effortlessly_ … He was perfect. Needy, but perfect. Shiro pumped his hips faster and faster, water splashing out of the tub with his every thrust. He didn’t care much about the mess it would make. Right now only one thing mattered: and that thing was clinging to the rim of the tub desperately.

“More! Shiro… more!”

Lance’s pleas only revved him up more, his hips pistoning back and forth at an ungodly rate, chasing the pleasure. Lance reached up behind him, nails digging into Shiro as he tried to pull him in deeper. Shiro grunted, excited by Lance’s enthusiasm.

               “Fuck! Shiro, I’m gonna—“

Lance didn’t get to finish as Shiro interrupted him.

“Come for me,” Shiro said through a smirk, unsure of where his brazenness was coming from.

Lance practically screamed at his words, his orgasm washing over him finally. Shiro took this opportunity to lick at their bonding mark, which made Lance became deliciously tight; his muscles quivering around his hard cock as he orgasmed. Shiro fucked him through it, approaching his own orgasm quickly.

“Hah… Sh-Shiro… Knot me,” Lance pleaded, “Please!”

That was it. With Lance’s encouragement Shiro slammed home, his knot inflating rapidly.  Lance’s hole stretched around him tightly, milking him for all he was worth. They both moaned as Shiro pumped Lance full for the first time. Lance shuddered at the feeling of it, clenching down on Shiro’s length as if he could lock them together forever.

               Shiro hoped his seed would take. The idea of Lance, full with his pups… It drove him wild, and it was all he could think about as he emptied himself into the omega. It seemed to excite Lance as well, for he was practically screaming Shiro’s name at the top of his lungs. As soon as it started it was over, and both of them parted reluctantly. Lance’s half-lidded eyes hinted to his exhaustion, but the smile on his face showed his happiness. Shiro finished cleaning him up after that, carrying an unconscious Lance back to the bed and laying him there gently.

               Shiro peeked back at him one last time. Lance lay on the bed asleep, a small smile across his lips. Shiro couldn’t help but smile back, placing a small kiss on the sleeping omega’s forehead.

“You did great, Lance. Thank you.”

Lance didn’t stir, but he’d like to think that he’d heard him. With a sigh Shiro left the room; he needed to talk to Keith. He could tell from the look he got while carrying Lance that something was stewing in Keith’s head, and from his experience he knew that couldn’t be good. On top of that he’d be leaving soon, and he wanted to make sure everything was okay before Pidge came by to help out. It pained him to leave, but he knew he had to. It’d only be for a few days, after all.


	8. Bad News

Bad News: Keith

               He was the last person he wanted to see, let alone talk to. But here he sat, staring Shiro in the face, trying his hardest to look like he actually gave a shit. He’d get Shiro to trust him, bring him into town sooner or later. But keeping up the charade was harder than he had initially anticipated.

               Shiro wanted to talk. About what, he didn’t really know. It seems as if one second he is infatuated with Lance and then the next he’s back to his normal self. But at the very least he got some time to himself while they _did their thing._

“Disgusting,” Keith thought to himself.

He’d pretend to be obedient, sure; but if Shiro made any moves on him that’d be it. He had to draw a line somewhere, and no dirty alpha was going to touch him. But he’d stay inside. He’d eat with them. He wouldn’t run away. He’ll be the stereotypical “good omega” and trick Shiro into trusting him. He’d get out of here one way or another, that’s for sure.

               “Keith.”

Keith looked up at the mention of his name, which Shiro must have said a few times while he was zoned out. He had to keep up an act.

“What?”

Shiro fidgeted in his seat, as if searching for the right words to say. That couldn’t be good.

“I’ll be leaving for a few days.”

Keith nodded, already aware.

“I only have one thing to ask of you.”

Keith eyed him suspiciously, but said nothing. Shiro seemed to be waiting for some sort of response, so Keith responded with a questioning sound.

“Talk to Lance and Pidge.”

“. . . What?”

Shiro repeated himself, offering no other explanations.

               Keith cleared his throat nervously.

“Can I ask why?”

Shiro paused for a moment, rubbing his hands together a bit anxiously.

“Keith, I know you’re not happy here. But if you could just give Lance and I a chance—“

“If you know I’m not happy here then why the _fuck_ are you keeping me here? Why even mate me in the first place? Do you think I _wanted_ this?”

Shiro stared at Keith uncomfortably, but allowed him to continue his rant.

“Because I didn’t. I don’t. By some stupid fault of the universe I was sentenced to the life of an omega, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t have dreams. Have ambitions. And, thanks to _you_ , now I’ll never be able to follow them!”

               Keith huffed, trying to catch his breath. Shit. He shouldn’t have yelled at the guy, he had to get him to trust him. It’s just against everything in his nature to obey an alpha, and even faking it was proving to be difficult. Keith waited for the alpha to respond, unsure of how he would react.

“I’m sorry.”

_Wait, what?_

“You have every right to hate me. Just… don’t take it out on Lance. Or Pidge. Hate _me_ if you want. I understand. But at least _try_ to talk to them. Lance needs someone he can rely on, someone he can relate to.”

“I’m not Lance’s babysitter,” Keith retorted, still angry.

Shiro sighed, rising to his feet slowly.

“No, you’re right. But you _could_ be his friend.”

               Keith had nothing to say to that, but it looked like Shiro wasn’t expecting an answer, because he finally left the room and shut the door to the bedroom behind him. Keith sat in silence, contemplating. He knew Lance was just as much a victim of circumstance as he was. But that guy _wanted_ this life, he _embraced_ it. They were different; they wanted different things.

               But still, he probably was being too hard on the guy. Truth be told, Keith had always been lonely. There had been a time, a time long ago, when he was a lot like Lance. Optimistic. Happy, even. But then everything changed. It’s hard to trust someone when your trust has been so bitterly betrayed. So he’d never tried since. He guessed that’s what made him a loner, of sorts. But he just couldn’t bring himself to befriend anyone else since. It had been a couple of years since he had anyone he could call a ‘friend’, and yeah, he was lonely. But it’s better to be lonely than to be let down by someone.

               Lance didn’t know what it was like. He’d never been stabbed in the back, never been abandoned by someone you loved. He supposed that if things had been different, he might be a lot more like Lance. Hell, they might have even been friends. But staying around someone who was always happy only reminds you of how unhappy you are with yourself. And it’s a bitter reminder of everything you’ve done wrong.

               But Keith had to accept the facts: whether he liked it or not, he was stuck co-habiting the same space as Lance for who knows how long. It probably wouldn’t hurt to _talk_ to him. But after what he’d done earlier, betraying Lance out of pure anger… He’s sure Lance wouldn’t want anything to do with him after that.  Keith gritted his teeth, rubbing his eyes wearily. He hated to admit it, but Shiro was right. He needed to talk with Lance. Who knows? Maybe he’ll make Lance realize just how fucked up this whole thing is and they can plot their escape together. Keith snorted. _Yeah, okay._

               All Keith knew is that he couldn’t keep living like this; alone, against the world… He couldn’t keep it up much longer. Shiro’s words echoed in his head. _But you could be his **friend.**_ Keith wasn’t sure he would venture that far, but he knew one thing for sure: he needed someone to help him through this, and while Lance wasn’t the most _ideal_ option, he was his only one.

               “FUCK,” Keith muttered to himself.

He hated it when an alpha was right. Keith glanced out the window to find it nearly pitch black. He slumped back down on the lumpy couch, pulling a thin blanket over himself. The pellet stove heated things up a bit, but at night it still got cold. It was nights like this where he couldn’t help but think about Lance and Shiro in the other room, probably huddled up together under the covers. Keith shivered. Not that he wanted that, of course.

               A short girl named Pidge came over the next morning. Keith watched from the kitchen as Shiro, Lance, and Pidge conversed animatedly, seemingly unaware of his presence. They looked happy. He wanted to be happy, too, he realized. But he assured himself that he soon would, once he was finally free from this cabin.

               Shiro said his goodbyes to them, sending a sad smile Keith’s way before departing. He’d be gone for three days, apparently, but doing what he didn’t know. Maybe the beta would know. Not that he was interested or anything. Pidge and Lance settled on the sofa talking after Shiro left. He should probably go over there and join them, but something was stopping him. A fear. A fear that this would end the way it always did.

               Keith opted to go take a shower instead. He’s sure Lance would tell her _all about_ his various escape attempts and his hot temper. The thought made him sick to his stomach. He shouldn’t have done what he did yesterday, though it did help Lance through his heat. Shiro must have breed him, because you could hardly tell Lance was in full-blown heat yesterday. The thought of it made his stomach churn.

               He should apologize, probably. After all, he practically fed him to the shark yesterday. Keith slammed his fist against the shower wall. Fuck, he was no good with people.

 

Bad News: Lance

               Pidge was a hoot. She loved video games, junk food, and all the same things Lance did too. She was fun; he’d forgotten how much he enjoyed really talking to someone. Shiro had good taste in friends. Hunk was a complete sweetheart, and Pidge was hysterical. Keith, however… He didn’t know what Shiro saw in him. He was cold, mean, and made no attempt at socialization. That is, until today.

               Keith emerged from the bathroom freshly showered, awkwardly sitting on the chair near them. He didn’t say anything, but Pidge was determined to get him to talk.

“So…. Keith, is it? Who pissed in your petunia patch?”

Lance choked, shocked at her forwardness. Keith looked taken aback too, but he didn’t feel sorry for him. Honestly, he’d been wondering the same thing this entire time. Then Keith chuckled. _Chuckled._ Lance didn’t think the guy was capable of laughter.

“It’s a long story,” he offered vaguely, shrugging his shoulders.

“We’ve got time,” Pidge encouraged, “After all, we’re stuck with each other for three whole days.”

Right. He was stuck in the house. With Keith. It’s like the thought had completely slipped his mind. At least Pidge was here, he was thankful for that.

               “I’d rather not talk about it.”

Keith looked pained as he said it, worrying his lip between his teeth. They both got the message, dropping it for now. Keith didn’t say anything more after that, instead just listening to the two of them talk. Something must be wrong with him… maybe he had a fever? He’d been so adamant about being alone before, what changed?

               They talked for about an hour before Lance made lunch. Shiro had went out and bought _a shit ton_ of food, which Lance was thankful for. The three of them ate together at the table, Keith remaining silent other than the occasional nod. The rest of the day passed uneventfully, consisting mostly of talking and tinkering with the old TV, trying to get it to work. It was a lost cause, Pidge said, the thing hadn’t been on in years. Pidge took the couch that night, but Lance couldn’t bring himself to say anything. He’d have to share the bed with Keith, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do.

               The two of them readied for bed in silence, neither one of them mentioning the sleeping arrangements. Lance sat on the corner of the bed, plugging in his phone.

“You have a phone?”

Lance started, not expecting Keith to say anything.

“Uh, yeah. Don’t you?”

“No.”

Of course he didn’t. Who would he call?

“Lance,” Lance looked up at Keith then, “I’m sorry.”

He played dumb.

“What for?”

Keith shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably, settling his gaze on the floor as he spoke.

“For yesterday. It wasn’t my place.”

Lance was dumbstruck.

“Uh… thanks, I guess.”

               Lance crawled in bed, shutting off the light on the nightstand. Keith lay on the opposite side of the mattress, their backs towards one another in the pitch darkness. The silence was deafening, and Lance was at a loss as to what to say. Luckily for him, Keith initiated the conversation.

“Lance?”

“Yeah?”

“Aren’t you mad? With Shiro, I mean?”

Lance pondered this for a moment.

“No. Not really. Why?”

There was a pause.

“Didn’t you have, like… dreams? Things you wanted to do?”

So that’s what this is about.

“Of course I had dreams. Who doesn’t?”

“And you’re not mad that Shiro took them away from you?”

Lance bristled at his words, clenching his fists in the darkness.

“He answered them, actually.”

“. . . oh.”

               It was Lance’s turn to question him now.

“What about you? What are your dreams, Keith?”

Lance heard Keith suck in a breath, letting it out heavily.

“I wanted to go to college. I thought if I made it through the running, I could…” his voice trailed off, “But Shiro took that chance away from me.”

Lance was fuming now.

“Don’t bad-mouth Shiro in front of me. Shiro is a good guy. He saved us.”

“Pfft.”

Lance sat up at that, turning to face Keith. The action must have startled him, for soon he too sat up in bed to look at Lance.

“You have no idea!” Lance scolded, “What he did for you. You’re lucky!”

“Lucky!?? He ruined my _dreams,_ Lance. He just wants us here to make him babies and take care of the house!”

He didn’t know what came over him as he grabbed onto Keith’s shirt, angrily pulling him close.

“How would you know, Keith? Have you even _talked_ to him?”

“I don’t have to! After all, you had a dick up your ass _all day_ yesterday. What else could he want?!!”

Lance struggled to contain his temper. What Shiro and he did behind closed doors was none of Keith’s business, anyway. Shiro loved him, he helped him through his heat. And for the first time in his life… he’d actually _enjoyed_ it. He needed to explain it all to him, rationally, but the words that flew from his mouth were more accusatory than anything.

“Do you _really_ think that you’d be allowed to go to college? To pursue a career? You’re an omega, Keith, you have no rights! If Shiro hadn’t mated you, you wouldn’t be able to support yourself! He did you a favor!”

Keith pushed Lance back roughly, shaking his hands off.

“Did me a favor _my ass!_ I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself!”

Lance scoffed at him.

“Clearly,” Lance said, motioning to his ankle.

               Their conversation was interrupted by Pidge.

“SHUT UP AND GO TO SLEEP YOU TWO!!!”

Lance decided to drop it there. If Keith didn’t see how lucky he had it, so be it. It wasn’t his problem the guy lived with a stick up his ass. They both settled back into the bed with a slump, each fuming silently. Keith lived in a fantasy world.

 

Bad News: Shiro

               Shiro hated this part. His monthly visits to the hospital had become so routine that they were annoying. When he’d lost an arm, and opted to get a prosthetic, he didn’t realize how much upkeep it would require. The bad thing about amputated limbs is that they fluctuate constantly, changing size and shape all the time. So once a month he had to have his prosthetic altered and re-fitted, but it beat having no arm at all.

               Problem was it required him to drive into town and stay a few days every month. He hadn’t really considered this when he decided to mate not one, but _two,_ omegas. He stupidly thought that things would just settle down uneventfully, and he could either bring them with him or leave them at home alone without worrying the worst. Pidge came through for him this time, but she couldn’t do this every month. Shiro cursed under his breath, frustrated.

               The hospital was relatively quiet at the moment, and Shiro liked it that way. He liked to get in and out as soon as possible, especially now that he had people waiting for him at home. He hoped nothing major would need to be done; if that were the case it would only be a day or two before he could return home.

“Takashi Shirogane?” a woman in a bright blue nursing uniform called.

               Shiro stood, following the nurse through the labyrinth of hospital hallways before finally being led into a room to wait for the prosthetist. The only one within 100 miles, might he add. It was a few minutes later when the prosthetist finally walked in, shaking his hand politely. He asked the typical barrage of questions, removing the prosthetic to look at it closely.

“Any problems with fit?”

“No.”

“Phantom pain?”

“No.”

“Uncomfortable spots?”

Shiro wanted to say no, wanted to lie and say everything was fine so he could just go home, but he knew that wouldn’t do him any good.

“Yeah.”

Shiro showed the man where it was bothering him, and after palpation of his residual limb, the man sighed.

               “When’s the last time you had an x-ray?”

Shiro groaned. Of course.

“Around 6 months ago.”

The man smiled at him sympathetically, but he knew he was only pretending to feel bad for him. They all did.

“Well let’s get one scheduled for you here. I’m suspecting bone spurs, but an x-ray will confirm that.”

Fuck. Shiro followed the man to the receptionist, where he made an appointment for an x-ray the following morning. That’s the other problem living in a small town: everything was always booked.

               Shiro checked into his usual hotel, trudging to his room spitefully. Maybe it would be easier to just _not_ have an arm? But he was right handed. And he lost his right arm in a fight with an alpha about a year ago. He didn’t hold it against him: he was only doing his job. Hunters could make a decent living running for a living, but they had a lot of requests to fulfill. He didn’t agree with the whole idea, but he had been one in a way. But he did it for the right reasons, not the money.

               The downside is that he lost an arm. His client was very apologetic, offering to pay for the hospital bills. He refused, telling the man that it was fine. He’d brought back the female omega that he’d asked for, and the happy couple was reunited. It was worth it, seeing the love in their eyes.

               Shiro texted Pidge, letting her know what was going on. She responded promptly, telling him that the three of them were doing just fine, though Lance wouldn’t stop talking about his return. Shiro smiled at that, plugging in his phone for the night. It felt strangely empty without Lance in the room with him. He’d liked being able to throw an arm over someone when he slept. Needless to say he didn’t sleep all that well that night.

               The results of the x-rays confirmed bone spurs. Which meant surgery. It was something he was hoping to avoid, but he needed to get it done. Shiro called Hunk and Pidge, letting them know the news. The soonest a surgeon would be in the area wasn’t until next month, so he scheduled it for then. They told him it’d be a week of downtime, tops. He wasn’t too thrilled with the news, especially since it meant leaving Lance and Keith home alone again. Maybe he could bring them with him next time, though he wasn’t sure Keith would go along with them. Lance on the other hand… he knew he’d want to go.

               That thought comforted him. He’d have someone by his side this time, he realized. And that made it all okay.


	9. Faulty Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So slight trigger warning here-- rape is referenced, but not discussed in detail. Just a heads up!

Faulty Plans: Lance

               Pidge was an early riser, apparently. Lance awoke to the sound of clanking dishes in the kitchen, startling him from his sleep. Keith lay on the other side of the bed, dead as a rock. That guy could sleep through anything, apparently. Lance sighed, kicking the sheets off of himself and lazily making his way to the kitchen.

“Holy shit, Pidge, what are you doing?”

The entire kitchen counter was covered in various cooking utensils, bowls, pots and pans. It looked like a tornado blew through the place.

               “Uh…. Cooking?”

“Was that supposed to sound like a question?” Lance laughed.

Lance peeked over Pidge’s shoulder to find that she was making pancakes (or at least something of the sort, he wasn’t really sure).

“Is all this stuff _really_ necessary to make pancakes?”

Pidge flipped him off, shooing him out of the kitchen.

“Don’t mock me.”

               Lance settled for the couch, content just lazing around while someone cooked for him for once. It was a nice feeling, actually. That is until Keith plodded out of the bedroom.

“What the hell is going on?” Keith asked, stifling a yawn with his hand.

“It’s called cooking. You should try it sometime!” Pidge yelled, done with both of their shit.

Keith threw his hands up in mock defeat, sleepily leaning on the other side of the couch.

               Lance tensed at his proximity. How could he be so insensitive? After everything he’d said last night… and now he has the gall to pretend like nothing happened? Lance was thankful Keith didn’t say anything more, still too tired to entirely process what was going on. A few minutes passed in silence (if you can consider Pidge’s clanking around in the kitchen silent) before Pidge called them to the table.

               The three of them sat at the table, which Pidge had already set earlier. Lance glanced down at the pancake on his plate.

“Why is my pancake shaped like a dick?”

Pidge kicked him under the table.

“It was supposed to be Mickey Mouse. Don’t judge me.”

Lance couldn’t suppress the cackle that escaped him. Even Keith seemed to be amused.

“So, other than making fun of _me,_ what’s going on? There was quite a bit of screaming last night,” Pidge pointed out, stuffing her face full.

Lance glanced at Keith, who was looking down at his feet in silence.

“It was nothing,” Lance offered, trying to avoid the subject.

               Pidge scowled at the two of them, crossing her arms across her chest.

“I’m not an idiot, guys. You two had a fight, right? Now make up like good boys and grow the fuck up.”

Lance choked at her words, barely managing to swallow the food in his mouth. _Good boys? What are we, five?_ When the silence persisted Pidge stood up.

“You have five seconds to tell me what the hell it is you were fighting about before I kick _both_ your asses. You too, Keith. I don’t care that you’re crippled.”

Keith smiled amusedly, not taking the small girl’s threat seriously.

“Fine,” Pidge said.

               And then she _fucking attacked,_ wrenching Lance’s arm behind his back painfully.

“WHAT THE HELL, PIDGE?”

Pidge just twisted his arm further.

“You gonna tell me what you fought about or am I gonna have to break your arm?”

Lance knew she was joking. Okay, scratch that. Lance _hoped_ she was joking. Where did this strength even come from? She’s like five feet tall! When his arm began to make popping noises, Lance gave in.

“Okay, okay. Keith’s mad at Shiro. I was only defending him.”

Pidge released his arm, sitting back down as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Lance rubbed his shoulder painfully.

“Keith?” she turned towards him, but he still had his eyes fixed on the ground.

               Keith didn’t say anything, worrying his lip between his teeth. He looked nervous. Though if he were Keith and Pidge had just fucking _attacked_ his roommate, he’d probably be nervous too.

“Silence is not an option,” Pidge stated, narrowing her eyes.

Lance looked at Keith sitting across the table. He looked… conflicted.

“Yeah.”

“Yeah, what?”

Keith cleared his throat.

“Yeah. I’m mad at Shiro.”

               Satisfied with Keith’s answer, Pidge turned her attention back to Lance.

“Okay, that’s fair.”

 Pidge took each of their hands, dragging them to the bedroom and unceremoniously shoving them inside.

“Yell, scream, beat each other up, I don’t care. But until you two work whatever this is out, you’re stuck in there.”

Lance didn’t even have time to protest before the door was slammed in his face. He reached for the handle, but it wouldn’t budge. _Who fucking has locks on the **outside** of their doors? _He banged his fist against the door, demanding to be let out.

“Don’t kill each other!”

               Fuck. Keith didn’t seem too overly concerned. In fact, he’d taken a seat on the edge of the bed, fiddling with the knife in his hand. _This is it. This is how I die. Stabbed to death by the emo kid while locked in a bedroom._ But Keith made no other movements; made no effort to speak to him at all. Resigned to his fate, Lance settled on the other edge of the bed, pretending to look through his phone. They must have ignored each other for twenty minutes before Keith said anything.

“I wanted to go to college.”

Lance’s heart sunk. Okay, he was a jerk last night, he’ll admit it. It wasn’t his place to tell Keith what he could and couldn’t dream. They were his dreams, after all.

               Lance sighed, turning to face Keith.

“I’m sorry, dude. I didn’t mean to bite at you last night.”

Keith still didn’t look at him, continuing to toy with the knife in his hand. Figuring he wouldn’t get much more in response, Lance started talking again.

“When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a dancer. You know-- like the ones that dance around on their toes?”

Lance was startled by Keith’s laughter.

“What?!! It’s a totally normal dream!”

He cringed at the tone of his own voice. He needed to calm down.

               When Keith finally stopped laughing, he turned to face Lance.

“Why’d you give up?”

Lance pondered that for a moment. He’d never really thought about it before. As soon as he had presented as an omega and he was sent off to school, he kinda just… forgot about it.

“I guess… I guess I gave it up because I found out I was an omega. And omegas don’t dance.”

A spark glinted in Keith’s eye.

“But _why?_ WHY can’t an omega dance? Why can’t they go to school? Don’t they get a choice?”

“. . .    Guess not,” Lance frowned, “I’ve never really thought about it.”

Keith snorted.

“Exactly. The second you present you’re brainwashed into thinking your only purpose in life is to settle down and raise a family. It’s not fair. I have dreams. I have ambitions. Yeah, I’m an omega, but that doesn’t make me stupid or lesser than anyone else.”

               Lance’s eyes watered. He felt bad for Keith. Just because it was _his_ dream to settle down with an alpha doesn’t mean it was Keith’s too. And he was so close. So close to being free. He understood, now. Why Keith was mad at Shiro. He supposed that if he were in his shoes, he’d feel the same way, too.

“I… I see what you mean. But I guess that’s just how society works. Alphas and betas go to school and get a job, omegas stay home and raise the kids. Its how it’s always been.”

“But that doesn’t make it _right.”_

Lance crossed his legs, leaning an elbow on one knee.

“You’re right.”

               Keith looked at him in surprise. Guess he wasn’t expecting anyone to ever _agree_ with him. They stared at each other in a momentary lapse of silence, neither one sure of what to say.

“I don’t mean to be a downer,” Lance started, “but suppose you made it through the running. What would you do? Omegas aren’t allowed in college. And if an alpha finds out you’re unmated, they’d just attack you. No one’s ever made it through three runnings. What if people got mad and went after you? What then?”

Keith seemed to think his words over for a moment, much to Lance’s relief. He didn’t want to start another fight.

“No, you’re right. I probably _would_ be attacked. I wouldn’t be let into college. But that doesn’t take away the _want._ I just wish things weren’t so back-asswards.”

Lance nodded, sending Keith a sad smile.

“Yeah. Me too.”

               For the first time Lance finally understood where Keith was coming from. He was right, society was messed up. As an omega, you had no rights. Some stores won’t even let omegas buy things, even if they have the money. But it’s all he’d ever known, so he never questioned it before. Despite that fact, he didn’t regret mating Shiro. He loved Shiro, he really did. Shiro was different than other alphas. He was caring and kind, respectful of other people’s space. And, Lance supposes, that’s probably why Shiro had given Keith so much space. Keith obviously didn’t want to talk to him, and so Shiro never pushed it. If only Keith knew. Knew who Shiro really was.

“Shiro really is a nice guy,” Lance explained, “I know it doesn’t look that way from your perspective right now, and I’m probably biased because I love him, but he’s different than anyone I’ve ever met before. He puts others before himself, always. And he listens to anything I have to say. Like, _actually listens._ He really does care.”

Lance waited for Keith to yell at him, but nothing came. After a minute Keith spoke up again.

“I’m happy for you, Lance. You got what you wanted. I just… I’m still upset that I can’t have what _I_ want. And I blame Shiro for that.”

“You know what Shiro told me?”

Keith looked at him questioningly, urging him to continue.

“He told me that he wouldn’t ever lay a hand on you if you didn’t want him to. Anything you want, he’ll provide. He really wants us to be happy, I think. And I totally understand that you’re angry. Hell, I’d be angry too. But really, just give him a chance.”

Keith glanced around the room awkwardly, killing time by averting his eyes. Lance could see the internal conflict within him, as if he were trying to decide whether or not he wanted to speak.

“I guess I’m biased, too,” Keith finally said, “I’ve had bad luck with alphas. So I’ve avoided them ever since.”

Keith was opening up to him.

“Wanna talk about it?”

Faulty Plans:  Keith

               He honestly had no idea why he was opening up to Lance. He’d never told anyone about himself before, never bothered to confide in someone. But Lance had insisted he wanted to listen. _Earnestly_ listen. And maybe that’s why he found himself pouring his heart out to him.

“Before my first running, I was dating an alpha.”

Lance looked surprised for a moment, but didn’t say anything, opting to listen.

“I thought he loved me. I loved him. I really, really loved him. He promised me that he would mate me during my first running. And I’d agreed. I was so excited to be mated to him.”

Keith paused to clear his throat, wiping at his eyes absent-mindedly.

“But he went and mated someone else.”

               Lance gasped, taking Keith’s hand in his own.

“Keith… I’m so sorry, I—“

“That’s not all of it.”

Lance shut his mouth, but continued to hold onto his hand strangely enough. But he didn’t really mind at the moment.

“Then, after the first running, I confronted him. He was with a group of friends at the time. He knew I didn’t really like them, but he hung out with them anyway. I yelled at him, probably looked like an idiot. And you know what he did? He _smiled_ at me. Not a happy-smile, no. Like a stomach-churning I-don’t-give-a-fuck kind of smile.”

Keith was openly crying now, trying to push down the hurt that he’d suppressed for so long.  But when he looked at Lance, he was crying too. So somehow he managed to continue.

“They held me down. I didn’t want it. But there were so many of them, I couldn’t fight them all off,” Keith sobbed.

Lance pulled him into his lanky arms, holding him close.

“They raped me, Lance. Used me then threw me away. And I thought he loved me.”

               Neither of them could speak for a while, but Lance continued to hold him tight in his embrace, rubbing his back soothingly as he cried.

“Keith, I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry. No one should ever have to go through that. I had no idea,” Lance said through tears of his own.

He’d only just met Lance but here he was, crying in his arms and telling him his life story. And the guy was crying on his behalf, too, even though he’d been a jerk to him before. It was—liberating, almost. He’d never told anyone any of this before. It was as if a huge pressure was lifted from his shoulders. They stayed like that for a long time, crying until the tears no longer flowed.

               “I guess I’m scared. Scared of getting hurt again,” he said meekly.

Lance hugged him tighter.

“Keith, I think given the circumstances that would be normal. But I’m here, okay? If you ever need to talk, I’m here.”

Keith tentatively wrapped his arms around Lance as well, finally reciprocating the hug. It had been so long since he had ever hugged somebody. The warmth of another person was soothing; he’d forgotten what it was like to be cared about.

“Thanks, Lance.”

“Keith, can I ask a favor?”

Keith nodded, unsure of where this was going.

“Well, two actually. One, if anything is ever bothering you again, come talk to me.”

He nodded.

“Two—give Shiro a chance. You don’t have to love him, or mate with him or anything. Just… just try to get along. I know he cares about you. I can see it when he looks at you, all pained. He did what he thought was best for you, and while it’s not what you would’ve chosen for yourself—he probably did save your life, in a way.”

               Lance was right. He knew there was no way an omega could ever live on their own. Unmated omegas are harassed until they are mated, and then after that they have no rights. He couldn’t even buy groceries, for God’s sake. No omega was allowed to hold a job, go to school… And if he had been left unmated, well… he probably wouldn’t be in this situation. He might even be somewhere worse. As much as he wanted his freedom, he had to be realistic. No one had ever pointed out the flaws in his plan before. It seemed so obvious, now, that he could never achieve his dreams. And while that was hard to swallow, he could always make new ones. Like getting to know Lance better. And maybe getting enough leash to walk around the property a bit, too. They weren’t _big_ dreams. But they were attainable, he realized. Perhaps one day he’d be able to go into town on his own: the closest thing to freedom he could think of. Keith sighed resignedly.

“No promises, Lance.”

His answer seemed good enough for Lance, who kissed him on the forehead in thanks. He wasn’t about to magically fall in love with Shiro, he knew that for sure, but it wouldn’t hurt to get to know him better. As much as he wanted to escape this life… he knew it meant certain death. At the very least he could befriend Shiro. Lance had said that he wouldn’t force him into anything he didn’t want, so maybe it could work. He hoped it would, secretly. For as long as he had Lance around… he thinks everything will end up okay.

Faulty Plans: Shiro

               Shiro couldn’t stop thinking about the people waiting at home for him. It was strange to think that there were actually people… waiting at home for him. He’d been homesick before, but never this much so. It was different when you had someone to come back to. The past two nights had been restless ones, what without Lance there to curl up in bed with him. He even missed Keith’s little scowl; the one he always seemed to have plastered on his face.

He wasn’t sure what to do about Keith. He knew he hated him, and Shiro had told himself he was okay with that fact, as long as he stayed safe. But he knew that wasn’t realistic. It’s one thing to be hated by people you don’t care about. It’s another thing entirely to be hated by someone you’d come to love. Maybe love wasn’t the right word for it, he supposed. He loved Lance in the romantic sense of the word. And if Keith wanted that, too, he would love him in the same way. But Keith didn’t want romantic love. Keith needed… familial love, friendship, a sense of belonging. Shiro just hoped that he could one day give that to him.

The drive back home was long, and traffic was bad due to it being the weekend. But being in the truck by himself for so long gave him time to think. Think about all the mistakes he’s made in this life, all the things he regrets. He knew he wasn’t perfect; he was far from it, actually. He’d thought that by giving Keith space he would eventually warm up to him, but that didn’t seem to be working. He never was good with relationships.

He thought he had a good relationship with his mother, but that only lasted a few years until she passed. He thought about how lucky he was to have friends like Pidge and Hunk. They’d taken him under their wing, essentially.  And if it weren’t for them, he didn’t know where he’d be.

“Fuck,” Shiro mumbled under his breath.

He really was bad at this. He was 100% positive that Keith hated him, and that really bothered him. But thinking back… what had he done to try to bridge that gap? Offer him a mattress? He hasn’t been trying hard enough. He needed to try harder. He knew it was going to be a bumpy road, but it was a road he was willing to take. Wanted to take.

               He was really thankful for Lance. Lance had kept him sane through all of this, he realized. He was quick to love, so caring and fun, it made Shiro feel… alive again. After his mother died he felt like he was just going through the motions, doing what he had to do. But now… now he was _feeling_ things again. He missed people, loved them, even if it was platonically. He’d never felt closer to his friends ever in his life. He was no longer a zombie trudging through the motions of life. He was living again, thanks to Lance.

               Shiro couldn’t have been more excited to get home. As soon as he shut the truck off and opened the door, Lance had pounced on him, jumping into his arms and clinging to him like a koala. He peppered him with kisses, telling him how nice it was so see him. That he’d missed him. Pidge looked on from afar, a look of disgust on her face. He laughed. That was Pidge, all right. But something caught the corner of his eye. It was Keith, he realized, sitting on the couch. Sitting on the couch with Pidge, and talking. He still looked uncomfortable, but something about him was different. He just couldn’t tell what.

               Nevertheless he was thankful for the change. He was glad to see Keith socializing with people instead of hiding away in the bedroom or napping on the couch. It was a wonderful welcome home present. Finally Shiro put Lance down, much to his protests. Lance was talking a mile a minute, telling him about all the things that had happened when he was gone.

“—and then Pidge locked us in the room for 3 hours and—“Lance continued ranting.

Wait, what?

“Pidge. Tell me you didn’t lock them in a room for three hours.”

“Okay. I didn’t lock them in a room for three hours.”

Shiro face-palmed.

“Pidge.”

“Sorry not sorry.”

They all laughed at that. Yes, even Keith.

_What the hell happened while I was gone?_

“Did you tell them?” Shiro turned to Pidge, whose face fell a bit.

“No, I didn’t.”

Lance looked worried.

“What? What happened? Is it bad? Shiro what happened!?!”

Shiro laughed.

“It’s nothing horrible, Lance. But I do have some bad news.”

Lance’s face grew pale. Shiro tousled his hair.

“I’m not dying or anything,” Lance looked relieved, “but I will need to have some surgery on my arm. Next month, in fact.”

               Lance went back to talking a mile a minute.

“What kind of surgery? Will you be okay? Where are you going? Are we going too? Or is Hunk gonna come over and—“

Shiro placed a finger over his lips, shutting him up.

“Well, I’d like for you _both_ to go with me,” Shiro said, panning over to Keith, “To the city. For a week or so.”

Something lit up in Keith’s eyes. Was he… excited?

“I’ll be stuck in the hospital for a week, but I can get you a hotel room to stay in. That is, if you want to go…”

Lance immediately agreed, excited about going to see the city.

“What about you, Keith?” Shiro asked, a bit nervous to hear his answer.

“. . . “

“Sure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all really hate Shiro, but he's really just trying his best.


	10. News

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've stared at this chapter for a while and I just haven't liked the way it came out... but I was too lazy to fix it, so... enjoy, I guess!

News: Shiro

               The month had passed uneventfully, and the strange behavior Keith was exhibiting the day he came home a month ago had continued to baffle him. Nevertheless, he and Lance seemed to be getting along swimmingly, and seeing it made his heart swell. Keith was still relatively cold to Shiro, but he didn’t walk out of the room when he entered anymore. He even started eating dinner with them; it was a really nice change.

               But the change brought about questions. He had attempted to ask Lance what had happened while he was gone, but Lance always dodged the subject. Whatever had happened, he had a feeling Pidge had something to do with it. He’d have to ask her later.

“Lance! Keith! I’m starting the truck. Bring your suitcases!”

They were almost ready to leave to head for the city, and both Lance and Keith looked to be very excited about going. Shiro, on the other hand, well he was nervous, to say the least. But the doctors had assured him that this was a relatively simple surgery and there wouldn’t be much recovery time needed, and that calmed his nerves. He would have to stay in the hospital for a week, but he’d booked Keith and Lance a hotel room (with two separate beds, of course) in a place almost directly across the street from the hospital.

The town itself was small, but it had the basic things: a mall, hospital, hotel, gas station, two grocery stores, a Costco and several restaurants. He was afraid the boys would be disappointed when they saw how small the town really was, but he’d have to wait and see. After a minute or so the two of them emerged from the house, their suitcases in tow. Shiro helped them throw them in the back, next to his own.

“Ready?” he asked, unsure if he was ready himself.

“Yep! I’m so excited!” Lance was practically bouncing off the walls. Must be all those pop tarts he ate this morning.

Keith simply nodded, a hint of a smile on his lips. Lance sat in the middle this time; he figured he was looking out for Keith.

               After an hour’s drive Keith had fallen asleep against the window and was snoring softly. Lance, on the other hand… he had not stopped talking since the second they left. But Shiro liked the idle chatter; it distracted him from the knowledge of where he was actually headed. Shiro and Lance talked under the soft murmur of the radio for the rest of the way before pulling into the hotel parking lot. 

               The hotel was not much to look at—the stucco on the outside was peeling off and the building was in desperate need of a paint job. But the interior was way better, Shiro assured him. After all, it is the hotel he stays at all the time. He knew the staff there personally, and Coran, the owner was a really fun guy to be around. Quirky, but fun. He knew he would immediately take a liking to Lance. The thought of the two of them together made him chuckle. He felt bad for anyone who had to deal with the both of them together during their stay.

               Lance roused a sleepy Keith, Shiro lifting the suitcases out of the back. He checked them in, walking them to the third floor where their room was situated. In all his years Shiro had probably stayed in nearly every room in this hotel, but the interior never ceased to amaze him. The carpets were newly replaced, a marbled blue sort of pattern woven into it intricately. There was no more popcorn ceilings anymore, and the red wooden furniture finished the look.

“A TV!!!” Lance yelled, startling him.

Shiro watched as Lance walked over to the flat screen TV, throwing his lanky arms around it in a hug.

“Oh how I’ve missed you!”

Keith snorted.

“It’s just a TV, Lance. Calm down.”

“You know what Keith? No, I will not calm down. Me and this TV are going to have an enjoyable week together and I’m not letting your downer attitude ruin it for me.”

               Shiro had to laugh at their bickering.

“You know, we have a TV at home,” Shiro started, but Lance interrupted him.

“BUT THE HD!!!”

He rolled his eyes. It was still relatively early in the morning, and he didn’t need to check into the hospital until late that night. He wondered what to do in the meantime. They _could_ go shopping. After all, he did have a special present for Keith. He just had to pick it up, first.

               “So… you two want to come with me to Costco? It’s pretty much the only real store out here.”

“Yeah, sure,” Keith offered, excited at the prospect.

Lance hesitated, glancing back to the TV.

“The TV will be here all week, Lance. You can come back to it.”

Lance pouted, but followed them outside anyway.

               It couldn’t have been more than a five minute walk from where they were staying. The cool thing about small towns is that you can walk everywhere, no cars needed.

“I haven’t been in one of these in soooo looong,” Lance announced, “But they always have the coolest things!”

Shiro smiled at him, glancing at Keith through the corner of his eye. Keith looked to be a little anxious, but he followed along directly behind Lance like a lost puppy. The two had been like that, lately. He quite enjoyed it, actually.

               The trio walked inside, Shiro pushing a cart along with them. Lance immediately veered off to the electronics section, eyeing all the large TVs excitedly. Shiro and Keith followed along amusedly.

“Shiro! Shiro! Can we get a TV? I want a TV!” Lance begged.

“We have a TV, Lance.”

“But not a _flat screen,”_ he argued.

_Oh Lord. This was going to be a long shopping trip._

“And besides, it doesn’t even work! Pidge and Keith and I messed with it for like an hour! It doesn’t even turn on!”

               Shiro hated saying no to those puppy dog eyes, but they truthfully couldn’t afford a new TV right now. Lance was disappointed, dragging his feet behind him as they moved on. But then he spotted something else he wanted, and the process began all over again.

“I want this,” Lance stated, holding a giant teddy bear about the size of him.

“Where in the world would we put that? It’d take up the whole room,” Shiro argued.

“But Shiiiiroooo!”

“How about some new throw pillows instead?”

Lance beamed, dragging Keith by the arm to go look at the various pillows. Keith seemed to be handling it all pretty well, though he didn’t look interested in whatever Lance was saying to him. After some consideration Lance threw a couple pillows into the cart, along with a soft fuzzy blanket that matched.

               Shiro eyed Keith. His eyes were fixed on something in front of him, and he looked to see what it was. It was a large red blanket, he realized as he got closer. _Did he want it? Would he ask?_ Lance didn’t seem to be paying any attention, so Shiro walked up to the blanket display.

“You like this?” Shiro asked, gesturing to the fuzzy blanket he was eyeing.

Keith started, panning over to look at Shiro timidly. He nodded.

“Alright,” Shiro said, throwing one of them into the cart.

Keith looked to be startled at his action, but he said nothing.

               By the end of their shopping trip the entire cart was filled with soft and fuzzy things, most of which Lance had _insisted upon_ buying. Shiro didn’t mind in the least. If it made him happy, then who cared? Shiro had watched Keith carefully to see if anything else had caught his attention, but nothing else seemed to interest him. He had to ask to be sure.

“Anything else you’d like, Keith? Snacks?”

Keith shook his head.

“You sure?”

Another nod.

               Keith wasn’t really all that talkative with him, but he seemed to talk to Lance a lot, especially when he wasn’t around. But the sharp remarks that used to slip from his mouth were few and far between, now. He listened to what Shiro had to say, though he never really responded. It was a start, at least.

               When the evening finally arrived Shiro said his goodbyes to the both of them, leaving them a note with the hospital’s phone number and address, as well as the room he was going to be staying in. He also left a decent amount of cash for them, in case they wanted to go out shopping or grab something to eat at least. Shiro glanced over to Lance, who was sprawled out on the bed flipping through channels on the TV. He had a feeling that it would keep him occupied for a while.

“Hey Keith,” Shiro called to him, gesturing for him to come over.

Keith looked weary of him, but he came nonetheless.

“This,” Shiro said, handing him a brand new cellphone, “…is for you. My number, Lance’s, Pidge’s, and Hunk’s are all in there already. So if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call. Any of us.”

Keith stared down at the phone in his hands dumbly, unsure of what to say.

“. . . thanks.”

“No problem,” Shiro smiled, “Be sure to take it with you if you two decide to go out exploring.”

Keith nodded, avoiding eye contact.

               “Welp, it’s about that time. Time for me to go checked in at the hospital and all that fun stuff. You two stay out of trouble, you hear? And come visit me once and a while. Hospital stays are always boring.”

Lance assured him that they would, giving Shiro one last hug before he left. Damn, he was dreading this. But he knew the time out of the cabin would be good for the both of them, and he hoped they both would enjoy themselves. Keith especially. He could see it in his eyes: Keith wanted to have some freedom. This would be good for him.

“Shiro, wait!” Lance ran over to him.

“What?”

Lance threw his arms around him, giving him a kiss on the cheek. He reciprocated, placing a chaste kiss on the omega’s lips.

“Good luck, Shiro.”

News: Keith

               Keith had never owned a phone before. Between being shipped around between foster families before he presented, and then being forced into an omegan school, he never had the opportunity to buy one. They were expensive, he knew. Which is why he was taken by surprise when Shiro had handed one to him. It looked brand new; the film hadn’t even been removed from the screen yet. Lance peeked over his shoulder.

“Oooh a phone, huh? That’s pretty cool,” Lance said to him, snatching it from his hands.

“Lance! Give it back!”

He chased Lance around the furniture in the hotel room, Lance leaping deftly over the bed to avoid him. _God dammit, Lance_. He followed right on Lance’s heels, clearing the bed in a single leap. Finally he caught up to him, managing to snag him by his shirt.

               “What the hell, dude?” Keith protested, reaching for the phone that Lance held _just_ out of his reach.

“Woah, Keith… This phone is just like mine. I saved up for like _two whole years_ to buy this baby,” Lance said, pulling his phone from out of his pocket and comparing the two.

Lance was right, they were the same. That means Shiro must have spent a lot of money… but why? It’s not like he had anyone to call. Keith didn’t question it, snatching the phone from Lance’s hand, finally. He turned it over in his hands, inspecting it closely. Cool. He had absolutely _no idea_ how to work this thing. Lance watched Keith from the corner of his vision, eyeing him suspiciously, though he didn’t know why. But he didn’t want to look stupid. He would figure it out. _Eventually._  

               Keith pressed a button, surprising himself when the screen turned on.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never used a phone before?”

Keith remained silent.

“Keith? Buddy?”

Lance took his silence as confirmation, laughing out loud hysterically.

“Don’t judge me! I’ve never had enough money for this sort of thing before… I always spent the money I earned on books.”

Lance looked to him in horror.

“Books? As in _book_ books?”

“Yeah.”

Lance laughed at him some more, raising his hands to cup Keith’s face and squeezing.

“Shwut uhp,” he mumbled through pursed lips, prying the hands away, “and show me how to use this thing.”

Lance beamed at him, as if he was the very sun. He sure got excited easily.

               The two of them spent a good hour figuring everything out and setting everything up. Lance had to repeat directions a couple of times before he got the hang of it, but he took to it eventually. At the very least he knew how to send a text message, and make calls. Lance made him test it out on his number a few times, until he got the hang of it.

               After that things had settled down, Lance opting to take a shower while Keith laid in his bed, flipping through the TV channels absent-mindedly. He flipped through a few of them until something caught his attention.

“… the only district to continue the running,” the announcer said. Some sort of news channel, he guessed.

“Equalists have gathered around the district office, protesting the barbaric ritual,” the screen changed to a video of a lively mob of people, some with signs, others without. They all chanted the same thing.

“Down with Zarkon! Down with Zarkon!”

Keith had learned in school who Zarkon was. He was the president of the district he was born in; had been for years, even before he was born. The country was separated into 14 districts; he was born in district 6. Keith leaned forward, trying to hear the announcer over the crowd.

“As you all know district 6 is still under the strict rule of President Zarkon, and the running still occurs once a year in the district. The president has banned anyone from entering or leaving the district, claiming that they would ‘pollute the native culture with their liberal thinking’. Our reporters interviewed an escapee, who provided valuable information on the topic.”

The screen panned over to a young woman with snow white hair, though she didn’t look a day over thirty. She wore plain clothes, her hair twisted up into a loose bun.

“With Zarkon banning all news channels in district 6, the civilians are unaware that there is anything other than the running. Omegas are taken from their homes and forced into schools where they are taught that Zarkon was their all-good president, saving them from the horrors of the outside world,” the woman clutched the microphone tightly, as if in pain at the very thought of it.

“The time has come to liberate the sixth district. Equality for all…” the screen cut out, fading to black.

Keith desperately banged the TV, trying to get the channel to come back on again. But the channel was nothing more than a blank screen, as if nothing had been there before. Lance emerged from the shower, glancing to the blank television and then at Keith.

“Uh… whatcha watchin, buddy?”

Keith was still too shocked to answer. Whatever that was, it wasn’t supposed to be on TV in their district. It all made sense, now. Why they’d never been taught about the other districts, why there was only one news station, rightly named “Zarkon News”. They were all being fooled! By their beloved president, Zarkon. Did anyone know about this? Had anyone else seen the newscast before it was cut off abruptly?

               Keith sank to the bed slowly, mouth dry.

“Keith? What’s wrong?”

Lance sat beside him, a towel wrapped around his waist. He was staring at Keith intently, as if studying his features.

“Keith?”

“It’s all Zarkon’s fault,” Keith mumbled, eyes fixed on the blank TV screen.

“What about Zarkon? Keith? What’s going on?”

               Keith sprang up from his sitting position, grabbing Lance’s arms enthusiastically.

“Lance. It’s Zarkon’s fault. The running, the omegan schools, the news censorship… it’s all Zarkon’s fault.”

Lance scrunched his face up confusedly, “What the heck are you going on about now, Keith?”

Keith raised his voice, suddenly filled with a mixture of anger and _even_ a little bit of hope.

“Lance, the running, you know how it occurs every year?”

“Uh… yeah? You and I _were_ there—“

“Lance. The running only occurs in district 6.”

“Wha? Keith everyone knows the running happens in every district… we were taught that in school.”

Keith squeezed Lance’s arms angrily, as if willing him to understand.

“No, Lance. Zarkon is the bad guy. He censors the news channels, enforces the running. There are people out there, I _saw_ them! They are fighting against him, Lance!”

Lance still looked confused.

“You okay, buddy?”

               Keith sighed, frustrated. So he told Lance what he’d seen on the TV. Told him how the transmission had cut out. Told him about the girl with the white hair, the one who had escaped district 6. Lance’s eyes grew wide; whether in disbelief or shock he didn’t know. But he knew one thing for sure: whatever he could do to help things along, he would. He just needed to find a way to contact the outside.

 

News: Lance

               He could hardly believe what Keith was saying. At first he thought the guy was just delusional, but there’s no way he would be able to craft such a story himself. Plus, Keith wouldn’t lie to him. Two and two finally clicked together, and everything was taking shape in his head now. They were the only district that still enforced the running, the others had long since abandoned the practice.

               Lance didn’t know whether to feel joyful or sick. Just the knowledge that there were other districts out there… districts where omegas were free to do as they wanted, considered equal… it made him sick to his stomach. Keith continued rambling on and on, but Lance had long since lost focus.  

“Lance,” Keith waved his hand in front of his face.

“Ugh, what? This is a lot to take in.”

“We need to get in contact with the outside.”

               Now Lance was angry.

“Are you _crazy?!!_ If everything you’re saying is true, then it’d be a death sentence to get in contact with the outside! Why do you think it hasn’t been done before?”

He inhaled sharply, trying to control his breathing.

“We have to tell Shiro,” Lance finally offered.

Keith bristled at his words, visibly tensing his shoulders.

“Are you kidding me?!!” Keith yelled, “He’s one of them! He’s an alpha! He’s on _their side!”_

               Lance shook the hands that Keith had on his arms, pushing him a few steps backward.

‘You know as well as I do that Shiro isn’t like the others! We need to tell him! He could _help_ us!”

Keith furrowed his brows, deep in thought.

“I still don’t trust him, Lance. He’s an alpha and—“

“And what!?! After everything that’s happened do you _really_ think that? He bought you a phone, for Christ’s sake!”

“That’s beside the point! I know you love him, Lance, but it’s not a good idea—“

Lance rose to his feet, rubbing his temples.

“What if he helps us? What if he knows how to contact the other side?”

               Keith seemed to consider this for a moment, his features frozen in a look of concentration.

“Wait a week.”

“What?”

“Wait a week to tell him. By then we’ll know if he’s on our side.”

Lance looked to Keith questioningly.

“And just how are we gonna know that?”

Keith straightened, popping his knuckles.

“Leave that to me.”  

               Neither of them could sleep that night. Something inside of him was screaming at him to tell Shiro, but Keith had said to wait. After all, Shiro was going to be recovering from surgery. Perhaps it would be best to wait until he’s fully healed. But Lance knew he would be on their side. He loved them, he could tell, and he would do anything and everything to help them. He just had to somehow suppress this new found knowledge until they get back home. Too bad Lance was a blabber-mouth; it would be difficult to hide something like this.

               The next day the two of them started the day by visiting the hospital. Lance had insisted, worried about the alpha after his surgery. _And_ he really missed him, but he didn’t tell Keith that. They walked up to the counter, inquiring about Shiro.

“And who’s asking?” a nurse in blonde questioned.

“His _mates_ ,” Lance said, watching as Keith cringed at his use of words.

It worked nonetheless, and soon they were being led down the hallway to Shiro’s room. The nurse knocked on the door, but she didn’t wait for a response, just barging right in. The nurse then left them alone, shutting the door softly behind her. Shiro smiled as soon as he saw them.

               “Lance, Keith, you came.”

Keith stood back, letting Lance do all the talking.

“Of course we came! How do you feel? Did everything go well?”

Shiro assured him that it did, and the only thing bothering him was the throbbing pain in his arm, but he’d been given pain medication for it for the next couple of days. Lance let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. God, he was relieved. He knew it was a simple surgery, but it didn’t stop him from worrying. Keith seemed to care less, but he was respectful enough to come anyway.

               Shiro and Lance talked for a while, Keith taking a seat in a chair and dosing off for a few. They both glanced at him amusedly, chuckling. Truthfully neither of them had gotten much sleep, so it was understandable. After some coaxing from Shiro the two of them finally left to explore the town. The town itself was quaint, but the knowledge of Zarkon’s evil reign gave it an eerie quality. The two of them spent the day window shopping, Lance buying a stuffed teddy bear (because he couldn’t get the huge one) and Keith buying another knife, for some reason.

               The two of them had fun together. It was liberating to be able to explore the city on their own, able to buy things now that they were mated omegas. They finally retired to the hotel, each of them taking a long shower before settling into their respective beds.

“Keith?” Lance called out into the dark, shifting to face him.

“Yeah?”

“After all of this is over… what’s going to happen to us?”

The room was silent for a moment, but Keith’s voice responded eventually.

“I guess I’d go to college. You could do whatever you wanted, I suppose.”

Lance deflated at the thought. He wanted Keith to follow his dreams, of course he did, but he didn’t want the three of them to be separated. The very thought that they might not be together in the future left a sinking feeling in his gut.

“Yeah,” Lance laughed emptily, “whatever I want.”


	11. New Intel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Again rape is referenced, not too much detail 
> 
> It's been midterm week, and I've been swamped with projects and essays. So this chapter was a little rushed, but I had to get something out. So please ignore my mistakes and enjoy!

New Intel: Keith

               It was their last night in the hotel room, and Keith wasn’t all that eager to be going back to that secluded cabin. The news of district 6 had been stewing in his mind all the time, and it hardly left him time to think. Lance seemed to be on his side, at the very least… but as for Shiro… he didn’t really know. Logically, he knew that not _all_ alphas are bad. But he’s had bad experiences with a lot of them, and he isn’t about to just forget them altogether.

               Keith rolled over in the dark, glancing to Lance who was sound asleep. He had to admit, he really had come to like Lance, especially with this week that they’d spent together. They’d talked a lot during their stay, though Lance would _not_ shut up about Shiro, but Keith didn’t really mind. It felt good to have someone to talk to, someone to listen to him. He fell asleep to the angelic look on Lance’s face.

_“Am I the only one that’s been in here?”_

_Rolo circled the ring of his exposed bottom, threatening. On Rolo’s side were his deadbeat friends, each helping to hold him down across Rolo’s lap._

_“Rolo, please…” Keith whimpered, struggling to escape from the hands that gripped him tightly._

_“Please what, baby? What do you want?”_

_He flailed his limbs as much as he could, but the hands held fast._

_“I thought you loved me,” he sobbed, falling lax on Rolo’s lap._

_The big man chuckled, rolling his eyes._

_“Sorry, Keith, but you were always just a good fuck. Why don’t you show them how good you are?”_

_He screamed. Screamed at the top of his lungs, but in this abandoned building there was no one to come to the rescue. Running into Rolo and his friends after Rolo had went and mated someone else—well it was hard, to say the least. But he wasn’t expecting this._

_Keith dry heaved, clenching his fists tightly. He knew what was coming. But it wasn’t even the imminent rape that had him scared. It was the knowledge that Rolo had tricked him, thrown him away; all those “I love you’s” and “I’ll mate you, baby,” all fake. His world shattered around him._

               Keith awoke with a start, covered in a nervous sweat. He’d had this dream countless times before, the events replaying in his head over and over again, never letting him move on. He couldn’t stop himself from crying, the tears escaping from his eyes despite his best efforts to hold it all in. He’d held it all in for so long, he realized. But he didn’t have to anymore. Keith peeked at Lance’s sleeping figure, his chest rising and falling rhythmically.

               Keith sighed, grabbing his pillow and the red blanket that Shiro had bought for him. It was a pretty shade of red, and soft, but he wasn’t about to ask for something. He didn’t feel right about it. But it seems Shiro had figured it out all on his own, which was surprising. He wasn’t sure what to think. Keith nudged Lance awake, feeling guilty.

“Keith? What’s wrong?”

He let out a loud sniffle, and Lance sat upright in bed instantly.

“Keith? What’s wrong? What happened?”

The words couldn’t come to him. It was all he could do to stand in front of Lance and bawl his eyes out. Lance scooted over in his bed, motioning for Keith to lay next to him. He hesitated for a moment, but the allure of being in someone’s arms got the better of him. Lance didn’t ask any more questions, instead throwing an arm over Keith and rubbing his hand in small circles soothingly.

“It’s alright, Keith. I’ve got you.”

               It took a while for him to stop crying, but the sound of Lance’s heartbeat steadied him. He curled into Lance’s chest, tucking his head in the crook of Lance’s neck and let it all out. He fell asleep like that, tucked away in Lance’s arms. The morning came far too soon.

“Keith,” Lance’s voice.

He mumbled something incoherently, still half asleep.

“Come on, Keith. We gotta go meet Shiro.”

Keith groaned in protest, tucking the red blanket around him in defiance. He was still tired. _Just let me sleep._ Keith yelped as the blanket was pulled away from him.

“God dammit, Lance. Give that back! I’m tired!”

Lance chuckled good-naturedly.

“We gotta check out, man. And we need to go meet Shiro.”

               He grumbled his protests while he got dressed, more so when he packed, and even more when they finally checked out. _So long, sweet freedom._ They arrived at the hospital in five minutes flat. It was across the street, after all. Lance had made it a point to visit Shiro every day, and the blonde nurse waived them both on when she saw them walk in. They made their way to Shiro’s room, surprised to find him up and packing a few things in his suitcase. He looked well, though maybe a bit tired. He noticed them after a minute.

“Keith! Lance! Good to see you. You all checked out and ready to go?”

Lance nodded enthusiastically, obviously excited about going home. Keith simply shrugged, sad that his time in the city had come to an abrupt end. The trip had been worth it, though. With the new news about President Zarkon, the shopping, and even bonding time with Lance… it was well worth it. Lance had managed to keep his mouth shut about the whole Zarkon thing so far, but he wasn’t so sure how long that would last once they got back to the cabin. He’d have to hope that Lance would uphold his end of the agreement.

New Intel: Lance   

               As much as he’d enjoyed the city, the shopping, **_the HD_** _…_ it was good to be back home. The trip had been fun, and he’d learned a lot about Keith along the way, and he’d got some soft things to spruce up their place, too. There was one downside, however. The news Keith had discovered was disturbing; he could hardly sleep at night just thinking about it. He wanted to tell Shiro, oh how he wanted to tell him… but he’d promised Keith he’d keep it quiet until they find out whose side Shiro is really on. Lance wasn’t sure how Keith planned to figure that out, though. It’s not like you can just go up and ask him, _oh yeah, hey Shiro, do you think Zarkon is a dictator?_

“So… Shiro. How do you feel about Zarkon?”

Lance spit the milk from his cereal out in surprise. _Or maybe you can._ Leave it to Keith to be so forward.  Shiro gave him a strange look, but he shrugged it off as best he could. He certainly wasn’t expecting this type of conversation over breakfast.

               “You want my honest opinion?” Shiro eyed Keith, perhaps wondering where this topic had sprung up from.

“Of course,” Keith assured, calm even in the face of _THEIR IMMINENT DEMISE._

Shiro wiped his face with his napkin, setting down his fork silently.

“I don’t like the guy. He’s power-hungry, doesn’t give a crap about anyone other than himself. He’s a tyrant, honestly.”

Keith sent Lance a smile. _Good. He’s on our side._ Keith kicked Lance under the table, urging him to say something. He sent a worried glance Keith’s way, but he nodded in agreement.

“Where did that come from?” Shiro asked, perplexed at Keith’s random question.

Lance answered hesitantly in his place. “Actually, Shiro… There’s something we need to tell you.”

Shiro looked at him with full attention, waiting for him to elaborate further. So he told him what they’d discovered, what Keith had seen. He sat there quietly, with wide eyes as Lance spoke, but he never interrupted him. When Lance had finally finished talking, Shiro cleared his throat.

               “Are you sure that’s what you saw? It wasn’t some prank, or something?”

Keith bristled, looking like he’d regretted saying anything at all. Lance tried to smooth things over.

“I’m positive. Keith wouldn’t lie to me. And where in the world would he be able to come up with a story like that in the first place? He saw it, Shiro. I believe him.”

Shiro looked down at his empty plate, as if deep in thought. The two omegas waited anxiously for what he would say next, squirming in their seats.

“You said this woman had white hair?”

“Yeah.”

“And that she’d escaped district 6?”

“At least that’s what she told the news station.”

Shiro pushed himself to his feet suddenly, startling them both.

“I need to make a phone call,” was all he said, excusing himself from the room.

Keith and Lance stared at each other dumbly, unsure of what to think. A phone call? Now? Was he just avoiding the topic altogether? Maybe he already knew and felt guilty? _No._ He shook off the thoughts. Shiro would never do something like that. He’d looked surprised while he was talking. The information was obviously new. But he wondered why the lady with the white hair was all he really picked up on. Surely the other information was more shocking and worthy of contemplating?

               Shiro was gone the rest of the day. He said he’d be back tonight as he grabbed his coat from the closet, and then he was gone. He never said where he was going to. Keith seemed to think it was foul-play.

“Why else would he immediately run out of the house like that?!! He’s ON HIS SIDE, Lance. That’s the only explanation!”

Keith had been rattling on and on all day, and it was starting to fray his nerves. He didn’t want to yell at Keith, but sometimes he had to stand up for Shiro. He wasn’t the bad guy that Keith made him out to be. There’s got to be another reason.

               “I don’t think so, Keith,” Lance said in a soft voice, careful not to yell, “I think it has something to do with that girl… Did you notice that that’s the only thing he took away from the entire situation? Nothing about Zarkon or district 6… He was concerned about _that girl.”_

Keith paused, clenching his fists at his sides. Lance had got him; and he knew Keith didn’t like to lose. Keith plopped down onto the couch with a huff.

“. . . You’re right. I didn’t notice that before. But why her? What’s so special about her? She looked like any other ordinary person, really.”

“Maybe he knows her?”

Keith’s eyes shot wide open.

“Lance. What if he _does_ know her? What if that’s where he went? She could be our contact to the outside!” Keith sprung from his seated position, suddenly filled with energy.

It could be possible. Sure, Shiro hadn’t said anything specific, but it does seem awfully convenient for him to just leave the house so suddenly like that. And that phone call… maybe he’d called her? All they could do is wait until Shiro returned, to maybe shed some light on this whole situation. _Hurry up and wait._

New Intel: Shiro

               White hair. It wasn’t all that common, surely it had to be her? How long had it been? A year? Two maybe? He had to know. He knew it was probably not the best thing to just get up and leave the table to make a phone call, especially after all that had been said. But if his hunch was correct, then they would all know for sure what was really going on.

               The phone rang once, twice, three times. A familiar voice picked up the phone on the fourth ring.

“Shiro?”

She’d answered. It had been a year, maybe two, since she had gone missing. He’d called and called, left voicemails, text messages, and put together a search party… but she had just… vanished. After a year it seemed like it was a lost cause, and he’d given up hope of her ever returning. But for some reason he couldn’t bring himself to delete her number from his phone. Perhaps he subconsciously believed she was still alive.

               “Allura? Is that really you? What happened? Its been so long—“

“Shiro. I don’t have much time. Zarkon tracks this phone number, but I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it. I was hoping someone would recognize me on TV and give me a call. Guess it worked.”

Shiro went numb. Allura, she was really alive.

“I’ll make this quick. I need to talk to someone in district 6, and you, now that I think about it, could be the perfect person for the job. Let’s meet on the border. We need to have a talk.”

He’d agreed immediately, not even bothering to think about how much trouble he could get in if he was caught by the border. It was heavily guarded; nothing came out or in, except for supply trucks occasionally. They agreed on a meeting place, and Shiro had practically bolted out of the house. He wanted to tell Lance and Keith; after all they _had_ been the ones to see the TV transmission. But he wanted to know everything first. Wanted to know what they might be getting themselves into. If it put his omegas at risk… he didn’t want to think about it. He needs the facts, first and foremost.

               The drive to the border was long, three hours at least. Allura had advised him not to bring his phone with him, just in case. “Zarkon tracks those things,” she had said. He felt weird leaving the house without it. After all, what if Lance or Keith needed to call him? But he’d rushed out of the house anyway, eager to meet Allura after all this time. He got his truck about a mile away from the border, then parked it and hid it in the foliage of the surrounding forest. The forest actually worked in his favor, for once.

               It took a while to hike up to their meeting place, and Shiro was quick to be sure that he wasn’t discovered. His footsteps were nearly silent, he left as little of a trace as possible. He knew these woods were guarded heavily, and he didn’t want to risk anything. It’d be a death sentence to be caught out here. By the time he’d made it to the meeting point it was dark. That worked in their favor, at least.  He caught a brief glimpse of white, and made his way towards it.

               She saw him before he saw her.

“Shiro?”

She ran to his side, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. He was surprised for a moment, but hugged back. They had been best friends, once.

“What happened to you? I’d thought you’d died or something! I couldn’t get ahold of you, there were search parties… why’d you answer now?”

Allura sighed, gesturing for him to sit on a log beside them.

“I have a lot to say. And I’ll explain myself. I escaped district 6 because I had come across some rather… disturbing information. You saw the TV broadcast?”

Shiro shook his head, correcting her.

“Actually my omegas saw the broadcast. I was in the hospital for, well, this.”

Shiro held out his prosthetic arm to her, allowing her to touch it hesitantly.

“My God, Shiro. What happened? Are you ok?”

“I’m fine. Work hazard, I guess. But enough about me. Tell me what the hell is going on.”

She chuckled a bit, the sound once so familiar again ringing in his ears. He couldn’t believe it. Allura was here, alive, sitting with him. It was truly a miracle.

“… wait a minute did you say _omegas?”_

Shiro blushed a bright red, thankful for the darkness to hide it.

“Um, yeah,” Shiro rubbed his hand behind his head nervously, “Lance and Keith. They’re really great. I just know you’d like them.”

               “You mated? Finally settled down?”

“Guess you could say that. But really, what’s going on? What about Zarkon?”

Allura tried to process this new information, but soon got back to the task at hand.

“Well as you know, Zarkon enforces the running every year. But district 6 is the only one that still does it. He’s blocked all outgoing and incoming radio transmissions, TV transmissions… The people have no idea that they are being manipulated. So last week we tried to get a broadcast in. It must have worked, because you’re here now. But we were cut off pretty quickly. Zarkon is looking for us, now.”

Shiro pondered this a moment.

“Wait… who’s “us” ?”

Allura smiled.

“The Equalists, of course. We are a group that fights for the equality of all people, regardless of their secondary gender. As you know, I used to work in the district office…”

“right…”

“And when I found out what Zarkon was up to I just couldn’t sit back and let it happen. So I did it. I crossed the border, formed the Equalists, spread the word on what was going on. Its taken years, but we finally have a large following. We want to liberate district 6, stop the running and the sexism. But we need someone to help us from the inside.”

“The inside?”

“The inside. Of the district office. We need an eye on Zarkon. I was hoping you—“

Shiro shifted uncomfortably. He knew where this was going.

“Allura, I can’t. I have a family now. I have two omegas under my care, I can’t just up and leave—“

“But you HAVE TO! Shiro, you’re our only hope. I know this is a lot to ask. But think about all the people you’ll be helping.”

               Shiro fidgeted his hands methodically, trying to decide what to do. Of course he wanted to help Allura, and liberate their district… but he had Lance and Keith to think about now. He didn’t want to put them in any danger.

“… Let me talk about it with them first. Then we’ll let you know our decision. I won’t do this if they aren’t in it with me. I can’t just drag them along or put them into danger.”

Allura nodded, smiling.

“You’ve changed, Shiro. But for the better, I can tell. Meet me back in this spot the same time next week. Then we’ll go from there.”

Shiro agreed, and the two of them reluctantly parted ways. His head was spinning. He’d never heard of the Equalists. He knew that trade was heavily regulated, but he had no idea that TV and Radio transmissions were being messed with. Zarkon really had been manipulating the entire district. And if she was right, if he was their only hope…

               He’d tell Keith and Lance. Ask them what they want to do. If they were both on board… the war is on.


	12. A Question

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long wait. Finals week was brutal-- but I'm back. This is mostly a transitional chapter, but the next chapter should be a lot more interesting. :)

A Question: Keith

               The bastard had been gone for several hours now. Lance didn’t seem to mind too much, repeatedly looking in his direction and assuring him that, _yes, he’ll come back._ No matter how many times Lance said it he just couldn’t believe it. Keith stood in the corner of the room, arms folded across his chest. He has been (and still is) pacing around the room impatiently, frustrated with the way things turned out.

               Initially things had looked good. Shiro obviously had some qualms with Zarkon, as did they, and he seemed shocked and listened intently as they explained what they’d seen. So he was almost starting to trust him—not a lot, you know, but a bit – and then he ran out the door like a hamster in a ball, never to return again. Great.

“Keeeith,” Lance groaned, patting the seat next to him invitingly, “Calm down. Sit.”

He eyed the spot hesitantly before letting out a sigh and resigning himself to the couch next to Lance. The two sat silently for a while, but Keith couldn’t quiet his mind.

“Do you think—“Keith had started, but was hushed suddenly by a finger pressed to his lips.

He looked at Lance confusedly, but he didn’t pull away from the touch.

“Shhh. He’ll come back. Just relax until then.”

               Keith stared at Lance earnestly; he wanted to believe him, he did, and he trusted Lance whole heartedly, he now realized. But he didn’t trust Shiro. And he just couldn’t bring himself to understand why Lance had so much faith in the guy that effectively ruined their lives. His face must have looked unconvinced, because Lance took it upon himself to close the short distance between them, giving him a chaste peck on the lips. He blinked a few times, unsure of what to think of the gesture, but Lance just sent a smirk his way. He smiled back at him. That idiot.

               Just as Lance had said, Shiro did come back. He’d been gone for at least 5 hours, he realized, checking the time on his phone. He never used the damn thing, but it was a convenient clock. They both stood as they heard the rumble of the engine outside, rushing to the window to peer outside. It was dark, but he could see an interesting look on Shiro’s face—and he wasn’t sure what to make of it. He looked, mad maybe? Conflicted? Maybe even a little scared? He couldn’t tell. But at least he had returned. They watched as Shiro sat in the idling truck for a few minutes, as if mulling something over in his head. Whatever was going on, it didn’t look good.

               Finally Shiro turned off the engine and started for the front door, and the two of them rushed back to the couch so as to not be spotted spying through the window. But once he saw Shiro enter, he knew it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. He wouldn’t have noticed. Shiro looked deep in thought, grimacing at the floor. He knew something. And I didn’t look good.

               Lance, somehow sensing the strange atmosphere in the room, stood and threw his arms around Shiro, which seemed to shock Shiro out of his reverie.

“Lance,” Shiro finally breathed out, hugging him back, “It’s good to see you.”

Keith watched the exchange from the couch, trying not to appear all that interested. Finally Lance and Shiro separated, and the three of them sat on the couch together—Lance in the middle, as usual. Shiro stayed quiet for a long time, nervously fiddling with his hands.

“I’m sorry for storming out like that,” Shiro apologized, “I shouldn’t have done that.”

_Yeah, no shit._

“But I did find something out. And we need to talk; like seriously talk. About what we want to do.”

Shiro had both their attentions real fast. When no one said anything more, Shiro continued.

“I know the girl with the white hair.”

“I KNEW IT!” Lance yelled, throwing his arms up in the air triumphantly.

               Shiro looked mildly amused, but continued.

“That’s not really the important part,” he chuckled, “but seriously. Her name is Allura, and she and I had been friends for a long time.”

Keith didn’t see how any of this was relevant.

“Until she disappeared suddenly.”

Oh.

“Long story short she’s started an organized resistance—the Equalists, they call themselves—and she asked for some help.”

Keith fidgeted in his seat, unable to wait any longer.

“What kind of help?” he blurted, shocking Shiro.

_Okay, I know I never talk; but do you have to look so shocked every time I say something?_ He rolled his eyes.

“Well that’s actually what I wanted you to talk about,” the tension in the room turned heavy.               

               Keith glanced at Lance next to him, who looked just as confused as he felt.

“She needs help. From the inside, I mean. And she wants me, no sorry, _us—_ to help her.”

Keith cocked an eyebrow.

“How can we help her?” Lance said just as he was about to ask the same thing.

Shiro cleared his throat. This didn’t look all too promising.

“Shiro…?” Lance questioned, after he was silent for a while.

“Um. She needs someone from the inside, like _inside_ inside. In the district office.”

Keith’s eyes shot wide open.

“What the hell? How could someone even _ask_ that of us?” he just about yelled.

Shiro looked him in the eye, which made Keith very uncomfortable, so he looked away. That didn’t stop the man from continuing.

“She’s planning a coup. But in order to take Zarkon down, she needs someone who can provide Intel on him from inside the district office.”

“That’s crazy!” Lance yelled, taking the words from his mouth.

It was. It was crazy.

               Shiro nodded understandingly.

“That’s why I wanted to ask you two first, about what we want to do. I’ll only do it if you two are with me, I won’t force you into a situation like that.”

Keith’s eyes softened. He wasn’t touched. No—there was just some dust in his eye.

“What exactly would this entail?” Keith asked, genuinely curious.

“There is a job opening inside the district office. As a royal attendant, of sorts. Allura wants me to apply for the job and keep an eye on Zarkon. But there’s a hitch—we’d have to live in the district office. I can’t leave you two alone here, and it’s totally normal for an alpha employee to bring his omegas with him, but –“

“Live. In the district office. With Zarkon?” Keith sent him an incredulous look.

“I know it’s crazy. And Zarkon doesn’t treat omegas well. I’m worried about your safety. But—if things work, and the coup is successful—the running will be abolished. Omegas will be free.”

               Keith considered this for a minute. He hated Zarkon. He hated the running, the discrimination—all of it. But to be in the same building as _Zarkon?_ Treated like Shiro’s _slave?_ Was it really worth it? But then Keith looked at Lance. Really, really looked at him. He was looking at Keith questioningly, waiting for him to answer first. Lance, and all the other omegas, free to do whatever they wanted. To pursue an education, to be able to shop and get heat suppressants on their own… That sort of world seemed impossible. But if they went through with it, perhaps it _wouldn’t_ be. Keith took a deep breath, wondering just how much he was about to get himself into.

“I’m in.”

A Question: Lance

               Keith was in. If Keith was in, he was too.

“Me too,” he added, placing a supportive hand on Keith’s shoulder.

Shiro looked surprised at their answer.

“Before we get into this… you _do_ know what you’re signing yourself up for, right? You’d have to act like obedient omegas, follow me around and wait at my feet. You’d have to stay silent unless spoken to, and we’d all have to share a bed or else we’d raise suspicion… Zarkon is very particular about the ways he believes an omega should be treated. I could get fired if he suspects that I view you two as anything other than subservient. Which, I hope you know, I don’t. I just want to let you know what it’d be like. We’d have to put on a convincing act.”

               While Lance had no issues with this idea, he knew the proud Keith might. All of these things were things Lance was taught in school. And up until he met Shiro, they were the things he was expecting to be required to do. While he’s glad that wasn’t the case, he wasn’t sure Keith could pull something like that off. It went against his very nature, really.

               Lance turned to Keith, who had his teeth clenched, his expression completely unreadable.

“I know,” Keith’s voice startled him, “But if I have to suffer for the benefit of all… I will.”

Shiro nodded.

“Ok. Then we’ll do it, then. I’ll need to contact Allura and apply for that job,” Shiro paused, “You guys sure? Like 100% sure?”

They both assured him that they were in it with him.

“Okay,” Shiro finally said, though he didn’t look it.

He could tell that Shiro didn’t really want to do this, but he knew it was only because he was trying to look out for them. Shiro was always on their side. He just needed Keith to see that. Maybe this would be his chance.

               Keith retired to the couch for the night, as he usually did, and Lance and Shiro went to bed. He had to admit—he wasn’t really looking forward to this whole thing. But if Shiro was with them, there to support them… somehow he knew they’d come out okay. Lance thought this as he curled into Shiro’s chest, clinging to him just a little tighter than he normally did. Shiro must have felt his apprehension, for soon his voice broke the silence.

“Are you sure Lance? I don’t want you to do this just because you feel inclined to. You do have a choice.”

Lance chuckled, pulling away from Shiro’s warm embrace a bit to look him in the face.

“Do you love me?”

“Of course.”

“You’ll do anything to protect me?”

“You know I would. Anything and everything, for the both of you.”

               Lance rolled over, now sitting atop his alpha. Lance grabbed Shiro’s hands, placing them on his own hips. Shiro stared.

“Then I have nothing to worry about, do I?”

Lance let out a little shriek as Shiro quickly flipped their positions, his body weight now pinning Lance to the bed. Shiro stared at him for a brief moment, until he finally spoke.

“Are you teasing me?”

Lance snorted.

“Glad you finally caught on, Sherlock.”

               Anything else he would have said was silenced by Shiro’s mouth on his own. It started out lazily, chaste little kisses at first, and turned into something more hurried; their tongues caressing the inside of each other’s mouths. Hands began to wander. Lance was still a bit too shy to do anything _too_ adventurous, but he couldn’t stop himself from sliding his hands up Shiro’s chest, running his hands over the taught muscle underneath. Shiro reciprocated the action, hiking Lance’s shirt up and nipping at the nubs of his nipples.

               Lance let out an almost inhuman sound. _God, that was embarrassing._ But it seemed to fuel Shiro even more, growling possessively in Lance’s ear. Lance could feel the early signs of arousal, slick starting to dampen his underwear. He could tell the moment Shiro smelled it: pupils wide, a low growl of excitement emitting from somewhere deep in his throat. They kissed once more, hurried and hungry, before Shiro made quick work of their clothes.

               Lance wasn’t in heat, and for some reason he felt a bit nervous, but in a good way. The last time they’d done this he hadn’t exactly been in the sanest frame of mind, and now that he was lucid, everything seemed so much different. Would he be able to take Shiro’s knot while he wasn’t on his heat? It had been one hell of a stretch when he was in heat, he couldn’t imagine how it would feel off of it. But Shiro took it slow. Spattering kisses all over Lance’s neck, his chest, anywhere and everywhere the alpha could reach. Shiro moved down to Lance’s inner thigh, prodding him to open his legs a bit more.

               Lance complied, spreading his legs and allowing Shiro to suck a hickey onto his inner thigh. Shiro sent Lance a sultry glare, and for a moment Lance’s heart raced at an impossible speed. But then it just about _stopped_. Shiro took him into his mouth, pleasuring his small erection as best he could. No one had ever done this for him before, and he had to admit… it felt damn good. Lance moaned his approval, lacing his hands into Shiro’s hair. Shiro continued for a while, until Lance was sure he was going to come right then and there.

“Sh-Shiro, gonna—“

Shiro pulled off of him with a loud pop, grabbing Lance by the hips and dragging him closer. Lance was more than thoroughly wet by this point, and he could see Shiro was hard and ready between his thighs. Shiro looked to Lance for permission, and Lance eagerly nodded. He’d never wanted something so bad, he realized. He didn’t care if it would hurt; he just wanted to be connected to the man he loved. Shiro fingered him open thoroughly, though he was already so aroused that it probably wasn’t necessary. Lance fidgeted, impatient.

“Shiro. Now,” he demanded.

               Shiro chuckled at his forwardness, but pulled the fingers out from inside him. Shiro lined himself up and entered slowly, as he always did, making sure Lance was comfortable.

“Fuuuck,” Lance moaned, reveling at the feeling of fullness inside of him.

Shiro was big, as most alphas were, but Shiro was definitely _above average_ in that department. He filled him up so nicely, reached so deep— _Oh, God._

Shiro waited for a moment, fully sheathed inside of him. Lance couldn’t wait any longer, and he whined and pushed down on Shiro’s length, needy.

“Shiro, Please.”

               Shiro started out slowly, drawing himself out slowly before ramming them back in.

“NN. Aghh. Mmm,” he couldn’t believe the sounds leaving his mouth, “Faster, Shiro. Faster!”

Shiro leaned down over him sucking their bonding mark into his mouth as he sped up his thrusts. Lance _keened_ at the sensation, clawing Shiro’s back in a desperate attempt to hold on for dear life. Shiro finally shifted his attention back to Lance, who had his eyes shut tightly.

“Look at me,” Shiro commanded, “I want to see your face.”

He must have blushed a deep red, but he opened his eyes to find Shiro staring down at him. He covered his face with his hands, suddenly self-conscious. Shiro grabbed his hands, prying them away from his face.

“Let me see you, baby,” Shiro cooed, soothing him a bit.

“E-Embarrassing,” Lance mumbled, but he made no move to cover his face, what with his hands being pinned down on either side of his head.

“Beautiful,” Shiro said.

               Lance let out an unadulterated moan, chest heaving.

“I-I’m… Close,” Lance managed to say between thrusts.

Shiro sped up his hips, sliding in and out at a quick pace that left Lance reeling. The sound of their lovemaking echoed off the walls, the room filled with wet slapping sounds. Shiro’s scent, a mixture of the smell of forest and musk, also filled the room, leaving Lance gasping for air. His heart was racing so wildly in his chest it felt like a constant hum.

“I’m gonna knot you, baby.”

Lance felt the base of Shiro’s knot start to swell, so he wrapped his legs around Shiro’s waist to urge him deeper. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to take it, but he sure as hell would try. Shiro’s knot swelled, stretching his entrance painfully, but Lance was determined. A tear escaped his eye when Shiro’s knot finally popped inside of him, and Shiro wiped it away gently. They came at the same time, both overwhelmed by each other and how good it felt. Lance could feel Shiro coming inside of him, and the feeling left him breathless. His omega instincts were in heaven; his mate had bred him, and though the odds of a male omega getting pregnant off of heat were slim, he liked to imagine that soon he would be full of Shiro’s pups.

They stayed locked together for a few minutes, Shiro whispering sweet words of praise into his ear. Finally Shiro deflated enough to slide out, and with it came a rush of cum and Lance’s own slick. It felt strange, to be empty. When they were connected it was almost as if they were one; he could feel Shiro’s heartbeat, and Shiro could feel his. He didn’t know how to put that feeling into words, so he said the next best thing.

“I love you, Shiro.”

Shiro smiled warmly.

“I love you, too.”

A Question: Shiro

               The morning came far too quickly. He stared down at the omega nestled in his arms, and it took every ounce of strength in him to leave the bed and get ready to leave. He was meeting Allura just before sunrise sometime next week, and he’d only gotten a couple of hours of sleep thanks to their late-night lovemaking. Not that he was complaining; it was totally worth it. He loved Lance dearly, and loved making love to him just as much. He loved Keith, too, but he knew that pursuing a sexual relationship would be a mistake. At least right now, for the time being. But nevertheless he was content, happy that his two omegas were getting along and happy that Lance had warmed up to him as much as he did. The week came and went far too quickly, and before he knew it he was getting ready to go once more.

               Shiro walked into the main room quietly, trying not to wake the sleeping figure on the couch. Keith was a heavy sleeper, as it turned out, so he didn’t have to worry too much. He glanced around the room thoughtfully. He was going to miss being here, he knew. Truthfully he really didn’t want to go live in the district office, but he knew he had to. He had to stop the running. He had to make a better world not only for Lance and Keith, but for everyone else as well. Still…. He’d miss the place dearly while they were gone. And he wasn’t sure just how long they would be gone. 

               He had to go meet Allura. They’d agreed on a time around 4 AM, just before the sun rises. It was a long drive to their meeting spot, so he had to leave around 1 AM. He had said his goodbyes to Lance and Keith the night before, letting them know where he was going. After what seemed like an endless drive through the pitch darkness, he finally made it close to the border. He made the same hike as before, finding Allura sitting on the same log they had a week ago. She looked to be on edge, anxiously looking around her.

               “Allura,” Shiro whispered, “I’m here.”

She looked relieved to see him. Shiro took a seat next to her on the log, preparing himself mentally to spill the news.

“So? What’s the consensus?”

Shiro placed a hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes with an intense stare.

“They agreed. We’re all in.”

Allura’s expression brightened, almost as if the sun itself resided somewhere deep within her, and had just emerged. 

“Great. I really owe you one, Shiro,” she punched him in the arm playfully.

               They talked for a while more, Allura explaining what job Shiro would need to apply for, how they would keep in contact, and where he could stay in the district office to get the most privacy. Shiro had a lot of questions, but she seemed to have an answer for all of them, except one.

“How long?”

Allura looked down at the hands folded in her lap.

“Allura?”

She sighed.

“I don’t know. You need to gain his trust, and that could take anywhere from weeks to months. But it will probably be a while. Zarkon isn’t the easiest of people to get along with.”

That’s what he’d feared. But what’s done is done, and they’d made a commitment. They agreed to check in with each other regularly, with a cell phone that Allura handed him. She explained that the phone wasn’t exactly “legal” but it would be hard to trace. Allura had a similar one.

“Guess we’re really doing this, then,” he said to no one in particular.

               After exchanging goodbyes, driving home, making breakfast, showering, and helping to pack everything they would need, he was exhausted. Lance and Keith had woken up a bit earlier, and they were already packed. Shiro glanced at their suitcases. It was hard to believe that all they had fit inside a single suitcase. He’d have to change that while they were in town. They could all use some new clothes and things, really. Shiro couldn’t remember the last time he’d went shopping for anything other than groceries… It truly had been a while.

               Keith, Lance, and Shiro loaded the truck with all of their things, and Shiro made a once over the place, ensuring that everything was locked, there were no perishables in the house, and that he turned the water pump off. He gave the cabin one last look as he turned off the lights. They’d be back, he assured himself. They’d be back.

               They stayed in the same hotel as before, but this time Shiro was there with them. Shiro stared at his reflection in the mirror, straightening his tie. He wore a classy suit, ready for his job interview. He was nervous. What if Zarkon saw through his ruse? He’d never done anything like this before. Sure, he’d held jobs before, but nothing of this esteem. Lance snuck up behind him, placing his hands on Shiro’s shoulders.

“You look great, Shiro,” he smiled, “Go kick some butt.”


	13. New Feelings

New Feelings: Shiro

               The district office was hardly an office; in fact it looked more like a regal palace than it did a government building. Shiro approached the security perimeter, glancing up at the large building standing before him. The building itself was very large, and castle-like. Armed guards stood at every corner, some even taking spots up on the roof. The building had an old time feel to it, though it was obvious it was still relatively new; the lawn was manicured to perfection, the hedges trimmed into intricate shapes.

“Wow,” Shiro said to himself.

It was quite intimidating, to say the least. He was used to living more modestly, in his hand-built cabin, not living the life of a royal. Shiro took a deep breath, readying himself for the inevitable.

               He approached the front gates, letting the guard on duty know who he was. The guard ran his name through a computer, where it apparently had popped up. After being searched for weapons, he was cleared to go inside. _That was easier than I thought._ The large black gates began to open, and Shiro was lead inside by one of the guards. The inside of the building almost outshined the outside. The tile was pristine; you could see your reflection off of the floor. The walls were painted a deep burgundy, and potted plants littered every little nook and cranny available.

               Shiro glanced to the paintings on the walls. Most of them were portraits of Zarkon, no surprise. There were a few landscapes scattered throughout, and some intricate mirrors too. His footsteps echoed in the barren hallway as he was lead to a waiting room of sorts.

“Wait here. The interviewer will be here shortly.”

“Um,” Shiro called after the guard, “The interviewer? Who will I have the pleasure of meeting with today?”

The guard chuckled.

“Surely you knew Zarkon wouldn’t deal with these sorts of things,” the guard eyed him incredulously, “But you’ll be meeting with his advisor. She will be here shortly.”

Shiro tried to get more information, but the guard simply turned heel and left. Guess the only thing to do now would be to wait.

               He couldn’t imagine Allura working in a place like this. The building was too extravagant, too gaudy for someone like Allura. She definitely fit in with upper society, don’t get me wrong, but this place was bordering on excessive. He sat on an overstuffed red couch, pillows filled to bursting and not a speck of dust to be seen. There was a grand piano in the corner of the room, but it was dwarfed by the sheer size of the windows behind it. He could see what looked like a garden outside, immaculate. It was filled with roses and all sorts of other flowers that he couldn’t even begin to name. The place certainly was… something.

               “Mr. Shiro? Haggar will see you now.”

He followed the female employee down a rather dull set of hallways. He was unsure how she managed to keep track of where everything was; all the hallways looked the same to him. The woman wore heels tall enough to rival a basketball player, and a skirt short enough for a hooker. He could smell her from here; she was an omega. _I didn’t think omegas were allowed to work in here._ Finally he was ushered into an office, and met with the sight of a rather frightening woman. He took a seat across from her, shaking her hand politely. Her skin was wrinkled and rough; she looked to be well up there in age. Her voice confirmed this fact.

“Welcome, Shiro. I’ll be interviewing you today. I understand you are applying for the position of royal advisor?”

Her voice was deep and nasally, grating on his ears.

“That’s correct,” he said, shooting her a fake smile.

               They went over his resume, asked and answered all the pertinent questions. But the next question took him by surprise.

“Shiro, I hear you were a hunter up until recently. Is that correct?”

Shiro tensed for a moment. How in the world did she know that? It’s not like there was a registry for that sort of thing. His face must have given away his surprise.

“Surely you knew we do thorough background checks on all employees?”

He shook himself back to reality.

“Oh, of course. Yes, I was a hunter for a while. Is that of any concern?”

Haggar gave him a crooked smile.

“Of course not. We just want to know where your loyalties lie. Since you were a hunter, you obviously supported the running, correct?”

Time to lie through his teeth.

“Yes of course,” he assured her, “It is a necessary ritual.”

She seemed to like his answer, nodding quietly.

               She asked a few more questions about his previous positions, before delving into his personal life.

“Are you mated, Shiro?”

Shiro gave her a strange look.

“Um, I am, but I’m not sure how that’s pertinent to the position at hand—“

“Of course it’s pertinent. Surely, if you come to work for us, you will bring your mate? I’m sorry,” she corrected herself, “mates. Lance and Keith, correct?”

“Well yes, I would…”

He was taken aback by just how much they knew about him. Did they know about his ruse? Surely if they knew this much, they knew more? Shiro’s palms began to sweat nervously, but he was able to keep a professional face.

“I see,” she paused, “Well Shiro, between you and me, off the record, why do you want this job? Why do you want to work for Zarkon? Your previous line of work is a little, _strange_ for someone applying for this position.”

               That was a question he was ready for. _Time to bullshit the heck outta this._

“Yes, yes, I agree. The thing is, I have always been passionate about the running; for a long time, it was my life and blood; but once I mated, I felt as if something was missing. I realized that I needed to work for Zarkon, to help the running continue and keep omegas in their place. I guess I felt that I owed something to Zarkon, and this is my way of saying thanks.”

Haggar looked pleased with his answer. _Typical egotistical alpha._

“Yes, I understand now. Well thank you Shiro, we will be in touch within the week.”

He shook her hand once more, bowing his head in thanks before he was escorted out.

               He breathed a huge sigh of relief when he finally exited the gates. Something about the place was both physically and mentally exhausting. He hated having to put on an act, but he knew it was necessary. He was glad it all sounded convincing at the very least. Allura had warned him that there were a lot of people applying for the position, and he was probably the least qualified. She told him to mention that last bit, it would give him an edge. He hoped it worked.

               He was relieved to be back at the hotel. The second he walked in the door he was bombarded with questions, mostly from Lance but a few from Keith as well. He laughed.

“Okay, okay, calm down. Sit and I’ll tell you all about it.”

They all sat, and Shiro described both the place and the interview as it had happened. Lance and Keith stared at him wide-eyed, as if he was telling them an interesting bedtime story.

“So do you think you got it?” Lance finally asked.

He considered this for a moment.

“I think I have a shot. But honestly I’m not sure. She said she would contact me this week, though, so it won’t be long before we find out.”

Lance and Keith nodded at his words.

               “Sh-Shiro?” Keith’s voice wavered.

He looked to him, concerned.

“What’s wrong, Keith? Are you okay?”

Keith averted eye contact.

“Actually, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you. Can we talk on the balcony?”

He eyed Keith strangely. Something was strange; what did he not want to say in front of Lance? Keith and Lance seemed so close, after all.

“Sure,” he said, following Keith out to the balcony and sliding the glass door closed behind them.

“What’s the matter Keith? Have you changed your mind?”

“N-no. That’s not it. I—uh… I was wondering if… Well I was wondering if I could get heat suppressants, especially if we are going to be in the district office. I can’t get them by myself.”

Shiro relaxed his shoulders. _So that’s what this was._

“Sure, Keith. We’ll get you all set up before we leave town, okay?”

Keith looked relieved.

“If you don’t mind me asking... what brought this on all of a sudden? Does Lance know?”

Keith tensed. He held up his hands in mock defeat.

“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, I was just curious.”

Keith took a second to answer.

“Well now that I _can_ get suppressants, I want them. But don’t tell Lance, I don’t want him to know. I don’t want to make him feel obligated to get them too.”

_Oh, that made sense._

“Ah, okay. It’ll be our secret then, promise.”

Shiro gave him a smile and a pat on the back. He thought he saw the tinge of a smile on Keith’s lips. If it was there, it didn’t last long, because soon he was back to his unreadable self.

New Feelings: Lance

               Something was up with Keith. He’d noticed he’d been on edge ever since Shiro had left, but he _knew_ something was up when he asked to be alone with Shiro. He had thought they were close; he had told him he could tell him anything, after all. They had bonded. So it hurt when Keith asked to talk to Shiro alone. He knew he shouldn’t read too much into it, but he couldn’t help it. He really had grown attached to Keith; he’d thought the feeling was mutual.

               Keith looked a bit happier when they walked back inside. He wanted to ask what it was that they talked about, but he kept his mouth shut. If Keith wanted to tell him, he would, in time. Lance flicked through the channels on the TV, pretending not to notice their return. The moment of awkwardness gradually faded, anyways.

               Shiro disappeared to change out of his suit, and Keith and Lance were left alone for a moment. Keith didn’t say anything, but he did sit down right next to Lance on the bed, leaning his head back on the wall. He seemed normal. Lance was actually a bit relieved when Shiro returned.

“Darn. I was really liking that suit,” Lance teased.

Shiro rolled his eyes at him. Keith didn’t say anything. 

“How about we go shopping? After seeing that place I think we will be in need of some fancier clothes, if you want.”

Lance perked up at that. Hell, he was always down for shopping. Lance expressed his excitement by bouncing up and down on the bed.

“Yeah! Let’s go! Keith?”

Keith looked at Lance and smiled.

“Sure.”

               The mall here was amazing; Lance had never seen a place so big. It was fancy, there was even a fountain in the middle of the walkway. There were so many stores! It had been so long since he’d last gone shopping. Too long, he decided.

“It’s wherever you guys wanna go. I’ll follow,” Shiro said.

Lance grabbed Keith’s hand, pulling him along the mall. He could feel Keith tense at the action, and Shiro was giving them a strange look, but he ignored it. He was gonna make sure they had fun if it killed him.

“Oooh! Look at those!”

Lance dragged Keith over to a rack of sunglasses, putting the ugliest pair he could find on the pouting boy’s face. Keith blinked, looking himself in the mirror. Then he laughed. Keith _laughed,_ a true, deep laugh. It made Lance smile so wide it hurt.

“I look ridiculous. No one could pull these off,” Keith joked.

“No way, I totally could,” Shiro said, taking the glasses from Keith and putting them on his face.

“OH. MY. GOD. Shiro!” Lance just about screamed, and they were all laughing now, “Get those things off of your beautiful face!”

               They ended up not buying any sunglasses, but they probably tried on a dozen pairs each. The employee looked a bit disgruntled when they left without buying anything. Lance paid her no mind.

“There!” he yelled, dragging Keith to a rack of jeans.

“These look like something you would wear,” Lance said, motioning to the ripped black jeans on the shelf.

“I dunno, those look a little… tight.”

“Nonsense! Try them on! Go!” He urged, just about pushing Keith into the dressing room.

“I’m not coming out in these,” Keith said over the dressing room door, “I look ridiculous.”

Lance whined.

“You have to at least _show_ us. Come on!”

Keith peeked out from the dressing room, eyeing them both strangely. Finally he came out, and Lance lost his ability to form words.

“You don’t have to gape, I know they look ridiculous. I told you—“

Lance swallowed thickly. Keith looked… hot. He was so used to seeing Keith in his baggy old jeans, seeing him in these was… well something. Sure, Keith was an omega, but _damn._ He would hit that.

Shiro whistled.

“Wow, Keith. Those look really good on you,” Shiro complimented.

Lance had to agree. Keith blushed a bright red, leaving to disappear back into the dressing room.

“Shut up,” Keith mumbled.

Lance leaned in to whisper into Shiro’s ear.

“We’re buying those.”

Shiro laughed, “Agreed.”

               He must have dragged the two of them all over the mall by now, but he showed no signs of slowing down. They’d each bought some clothes, but Lance picked almost everything out. It was something he was good at, after all. Lance dressed them all in a lot of button downs, red for Keith and black for Shiro. He, of course, wore blue. He helped Shiro pick out some fancier work clothes, sometimes giving him a size too small on purpose to stare at his ass. _Sorry not sorry_.

               They had a good time, the three of them. Even Keith, the typically emo guy, looked to be enjoying himself. After a couple of hours their arms were loaded with bags, and Keith looked to be getting tired. Shiro suggested they go back to the hotel, but then lance saw it.

               It was an underwear store. Err… maybe more of a lingerie store. Lance dragged Keith inside, but he dug in his heels the whole way.

“Lance, don’t take me in there. Shiro, stop him!”

Shiro looked amused, shrugging.

Lance dragged Keith in anyway. His mouth dropped open. There was so much stuff he wanted to try on, so many things he wanted Keith to try on. Lance turned to Shiro.

“Shiro, wait outside. I want it to be a surprise.”

Shiro smirked.

“Yeah, alright. Don’t go too crazy.”

“Wait! Let me go with you—“Keith tried.

“Nice try. You’re coming with me,” Lance said, dragging the pouting boy behind him.

               Lance eyed a little number in red. It was lace, leaving very little to the imagination. The mannequin showed where the lace crossed the chest, a sheer material forming the bodice. It had a red satin outline, and a sheer panel that covered the stomach, but was open in the back. There were matching red panties, the same red. Lance looked to Keith. Then he looked to the mannequin.

Keith seemed to catch on.

“Oh, no. I am NOT trying that on. Nope, sorry Lance. I draw the line here.”

Lance gave him The Look. TM He pursed his lips like a pouting child, widened his eyes in earnest. No one had been able to resist the look yet. Shiro had yet to see it, but he’s sure it would have the same effect on him, if not more. Keith stared back at him, but Lance didn’t budge. Finally Keith sighed.

“If I try this on, can we leave?”

Lance nodded eagerly.

“Fine. But I am NOT I repeat NOT buying this, understand?”

               Lance didn’t let Keith say anything further, instead pushing him into the dressing room excitedly. Lance had his eye on something a little more risqué, a baby blue. This one was much more open and intricate, the entire thing made up of a baby blue satin string and a bit of sheer blue material making up the sleeve of the right shoulder. Lance eyed the price tag.

“Phew! That’s steep,” he mumbled, “But…”

Lance snatched it anyway, waiting for Keith to come out so he could try it on. It had been a couple of minutes.

“Keith? Buddy? You okay in there?”

Lance almost was tempted to crawl under the door, but finally Keith responded.

“I’m not coming out in this. The jeans were one thing, but this… this is ridiculous. When would I ever wear this anyway? I don’t need it, it’s expensive, it’s hard to try on—Lance why did you crawl under the door?”

Lance laughed.

“I knew you weren’t going to come out, so I came in.”

Keith flushed, a bright red rising to his cheeks.

“Get out, you idiot!” Keith yelled, trying his best to cover himself.

It was no use. The outfit left little to the imagination.

“Damn, Keith. You are ripped,” Lance walked around him, surveying the back, “You could seduce a _King,_ dude. _I_ would fuck you.”

“Shut the fuck up, Lance. Get out, I tried it on, so there. Let’s go now.”

               Lance knew he would be buying it. Even if Keith insisted he would never wear it, he was buying it anyway. Keith just looked too good not to. He’d never been attracted to another omega before, but Keith… he had one hell of a body. He wasn’t long and lanky, like Lance, he was all hard with muscle. But somehow, it suited his small frame and delicate face. Lance gulped. He really didn’t measure up to someone like Keith. No wonder Shiro had mated him; he’s hella hot.

Lance shook his head to clear his thoughts.

“Wait, wait. I want to try something on too. Then we can go.”

Keith sighed in frustration, but acknowledged him. Once he had changed Keith stepped out, allowing Lance to change. Lance looked himself in the mirror. He was no Keith, but he could be sexy too. Hell, he looked _fine._

               Lance opened the door, catching Keith’s eye.

“So?” he asked, “How do I look?”

New Feelings: Keith

               _Shit._ Lance stood in front of him, modeling the baby blue lingerie he’d tried on. _Fuck._ Keith’s mouth went dry; Lance looked flat out _hot._ The outfit didn’t really cover anything, but that was the whole idea. Lance turned in a little circle, a big smile on his face. Keith choked when he saw that it was a thong, but he didn’t say anything about it. Lance looked to him expectantly. Shit, he had to say something.

“You um… Shiro would really like that.” He finally said.

Lance frowned.

“Well _of course_ Shiro will like it. I’m asking _you._ What do _you_ think?”

He had to look away from the figure in front of him. He couldn’t tell him that Lance looked amazing and that he wanted to pin him down on the floor and do him right there. He didn’t have the heart. He hadn’t known Lance very long, but he knew he felt something for him. Whether it was friendship or something else, he didn’t know. Lance was an omega, sure, but he still _smelled_ good. He _looked_ good. He was sweet. _Shit, am I catching feelings?_ Keith shook his head. _Stop it, Keith. Lance has Shiro._

“You look um… good. Very good, Lance.”

Lance smiled triumphantly.

“I know. I just wanted to hear you say it.”

_That bastard._ He definitely didn’t like him, nope. Lance disappeared back into the dressing room, leaving Keith to himself for a few minutes while he changed. Keith thought back to the kiss. He was surprised by the gesture, but he hadn’t hated it. It was hardly anything to remember, it was so quick and tight-lipped and so obviously inexperienced, but he found himself thinking about it anyway. He’d done much, much more with other people, and he’d had _way_ better kisses. But at the same time he hadn’t. It was memorable _because_ it was Lance.

               Keith questioned his sanity. Maybe he did like Lance, even just a little bit. He hated alphas, so it made sense that he would be attracted to an omega. Still, society was not all for that kind of thing. Two omegas being together didn’t happen; except in school. But after the running took place the couples were all separated, and they were all mated to alphas in the end. It was a shame, really, some of the relationships that had been broken. Alphas were so damn greedy and self-serving. The thought made him angry, but also excited. Excited to finally take down the bastard Zarkon and be able to pursue whatever life he wanted afterwards. Maybe even a life with Lance in it, who knows.

               Lance finally emerged fully dressed, and went to pay for the items. It seems this was one store that allowed omegas to purchase things without an alpha, but given the nature of the store, he wasn’t surprised. Omegas couldn’t buy condoms or suppressants, but _hell,_ they could buy lingerie. It pissed him off.

With the bag in tow the two exited the store, finding Shiro waiting outside leaning against the wall, browsing his phone casually. He didn’t hate the guy per se, especially given what Shiro was going to do for him with the suppressants and the whole ‘taking-down-Zarkon-thing’. But it didn’t change the fact that he was an alpha. Sure, he couldn’t help what gender he was born, but he did go and mate him against his will. Even if his intentions were good, it didn’t matter. What he’d done was wrong.

He did enjoy today, though. Shiro was not really all as _awful_ as he had imagined. He was fun and easy-going, at times. He finally sort of understood why Lance really clung to him so much; something about Shiro made you feel comfortable. That is, unless you were Keith, of course. He was always uneasy with alphas after the incident, and Shiro was no exception. At the very least he didn’t feel like running away and dying anymore. That had to be progress, right?

“Ready to go?” Shiro asked when he finally spotted them.

“Yeah,” Lance answered for them, again grabbing for Keith’s hand.

Lance was a really touchy guy, he knew that already, but the hand-holding thing was different. But he liked it. It had been a long time since anyone had held his hand, and the warmth felt good. Still, the gesture did elicit some strange looks from other couples walking by. _Two omegas,_ they were all thinking, _how weird._

He knew Lance had bought the red baby doll that he had tried on. He didn’t know why, but Lance did anyway. He didn’t want to think that Lance might have bought it thinking he would eventually warm up to Shiro, but that’s the only explanation he could find. Why would Lance want him in lingerie? It’s not like two omegas really did that sort of thing. Not that they _couldn’t._ But still. Shiro looked curious as to what was in the bag Lance was carrying.

Of course he was, he was thinking with his dick. Not that he could really blame him. Lance _did_ look really good in that thong. Keith cringed at the thought of Lance and Shiro together. But Lance was happy, so he guessed it didn’t really matter.

When they finally got back to the hotel, Keith was exhausted. He hadn’t done much _physically,_ but he felt as if he had expended all of his energy _mentally._ It took a lot for him to admit that he *probably* liked Lance in a romantic way. It also took a lot for him to be around Shiro, at least mentally. He was always on high alert when the guy was around.

After a shower and some take-out, Keith crashed on the bed. Lance took the bed opposite him with Shiro. He tried not to think too much into it, but he couldn’t help it. Lance _did_ always sleep with Shiro. But that didn’t take away from the fact that Keith wanted to sleep with him, too (In more ways than one, actually). Keith thought back to the night he had fallen asleep in Lance’s arms. He’d never slept more soundly, or more deeply. He sent one last glance back at Lance huddled in Shiro’s arms. He was so selfish; sure, he liked to be held in someone’s arms, but Lance probably did too. He looked happy. _I’m sorry, Lance. You deserve better than me. If Shiro makes you happy, then I’m fine sleeping on my own for the rest of my life. As long as you’re happy, Lance._


	14. Moving In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning-- this chapter is really only transitional and world-building, so its a little boring, but rest assured there is more action to come!

Moving In: Shiro

               The call he was waiting for came only four days later. It took all of his resolve to answer the damn thing, but he knew he had to. He tried to be hopeful, but had to realistically prepare himself for the worst. If he didn’t get the job, their plan would be foiled. Shiro shushed the two omegas bickering in the hotel room, and both of them grew eerily silent real fast. They looked at him with expectant eyes. _No pressure._ Finally he answered.

“Hello?”

“Hello, I’m looking to speak to Mr. Takashi Shirogane?”

“Speaking, how can I help you?”

“This is Haggar, I had the pleasure of interviewing you a few days ago.”

“Oh, of course! Thank you for the prompt reply.”

The woman on the other end of the phone sighed. He wasn’t sure if it was a good or a bad thing, but he was leaning towards bad.

“I’m just gonna cut right to the chase—“

_Shit._ If there was ever a time his heart stopped, it would be now.

“Your qualifications are very unconventional for this sort of position, and we were quite surprised to see your application, honestly.”

Shiro faltered for a second. _Crap, this isn’t sounding good._

“With that said, I really think someone with some real world experience would be a good fit for the job. A lot of applicants had lots of political experience, but none were as well versed in the running, omegas, or even mated, for that matter. I guess what I’m saying is, we’d like to offer you the job, if you’ll take it.”

_Well that went different than I expected._

He must have paused on the phone for a bit too long, because that woman’s gruff voice called his name questioningly.

“Mr. Shirogane?”

He snapped himself back to reality.

“Yes, yes, of course. Thank you for this opportunity.”

               The woman went on to send him an email regarding his housing arrangements and when he would be starting. They didn’t give them very long to move in, but he was assured that the place was already furnished, with new appliances as well.

When he hung up the phone, he was met with two sets of questioning eyes.

“So?” Lance said, “Did you get it?”

Shiro sat back down on the bed next to Lance, patting him on the shoulder.

“I got it. We have a few days to move in.”

Both Lance and Keith smiled ear to ear, turning to each other and chatting excitedly. They really wanted this. He would do it for them.

               “Well since I turned off everything in the house already, and you two brought all of your stuff, I don’t think we will need to go back to the cabin to grab anything. Unless there is something in particular you guys wanted to bring—“

Lance bounced up from off the bed, jogging over to where his suitcase lay, messy.

“I brought everything. What about you, Keith?”

Shiro looked to the black haired boy sitting on the bed. He looked a bit awkward, as if there was something he wanted to say but he just couldn’t get the words out.

“Um, not exactly…” he finally said, “But I do think there are some things in town we need to get before we go. Groceries, and things.”

Shiro made eye contact with him, catching his drift. He nodded in affirmation, subtle enough to where Lance didn’t notice.

“I think that’s a great idea. No sense in taking two trips, right?”

               Lance pouted.

“But I want to see the place _now._ I don’t wanna go grocery shopping.”

Shiro rolled his eyes. Lance could be needy sometimes, but he spoiled him anyway. How could he not?

“All right, Lance. You can start packing up all of the things in the hotel room. Keith and I will go shopping and meet you back here. Then we can all go see the place _together,_ and find out what else we are going to need.”

Lance pursed his lips, folding his arms over his chest, like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum.

“… fine. But hurry back.”

Shiro assured him they would.

               The grocery store was a close walk, but they took the truck anyway. It’s make it easier to get everything back, after all. Keith slid into the passenger seat stiffly, pointedly not making any eye contact with Shiro at all. Shiro didn’t mention it, simply putting the car into drive and going.

               They hit the pharmacy first. Shiro did all of the talking, as Keith couldn’t seem to bring himself to form words. He could tell he was nervous, so Shiro smiled at him reassuringly while they waited.  The smile wasn’t returned, but he could sense that Keith relaxed, even if it was only a little. Finally a chubby woman returned, a box of pills in her hand.

“Before I can give these to you, I have to warn you about all of the possible side effects,” the woman explained, “Heat suppressants alter the omegan biology, which can lead to infertility, reduced sex drive, and problems lubricating.”

The woman turned to Shiro, not even looking at Keith once.

“Are you okay with the knowledge of these side effects?”

               _Why in the fuck are they asking me? Shouldn’t they be asking Keith, the person who will be taking them?_ Shiro bristled. They were trying to discourage him from getting the suppressants, but their only claim was the fact that the omega may not be “useful” to an alpha if they take these. Shiro fought the urge to punch the lady in the face, but it was proving to be difficult. He turned to Keith.

“Is that okay with you?”

Keith nodded, blushing a bit.

Shiro turned back to the lady, who looked shocked that he had asked an omega the question at all.

“He’s fine with it.”

The lady scowled, leaning forward in the pharmacy window.

“By law, sir, an omega cannot consent. Are _you_ aware of the side effects, yet still wish to pursue use of this drug?”

_This ignorant Fuckface._  

“Okay, _we’re_ fine with it.”

The lady looked at Shiro disapprovingly, but his answer seemed to suffice. She handed over the pills, wishing them a nice day. Out of spite, Shiro said nothing back. He just walked away, Keith right on his heels. _Some people._

They picked up some groceries after that, Shiro remembering to get Lance his pop tarts. He glanced over at Keith, who was following a good distance away from him, eyes downcast. He tried to initiate conversation.

“Is there anything you want, Keith? Lance always asks for pop tarts,” Shiro chuckled.

“I’m fine.”

He probably should have left it at that, probably shouldn’t have pushed him any further, but something inside of him told him he needed to.

“Come on, Keith. What’s your favorite food?”

Keith glared at him.

“I don’t know.”

“Okay… is there a certain _type_ of food you like? Mexican? Chinese? Steaks?”

Keith’s face upturned at the word “steaks”. Bingo.

“Let’s pick up some steaks,” Shiro said, “To celebrate.”

Keith said nothing, continuing to follow Shiro at what he considered to be a safe distance. It wasn’t much, but at the very least he’d found something that he liked. It was a start.

Moving In: Keith

               Being alone in the store with Shiro was awkward, to say the least. He tried to keep himself a good ways away from the alpha, and avoided conversation at all costs. After the whole pharmacy incident, he wasn’t really in the mood for talking, anyway. That pharmacist was a bitch, no doubt about it. _An omega can’t consent._ It was his fucking body! So he can’t consent to getting medications, but an alpha needed _no consent_ to mate and rape an omega? How fucked up was that? He tried to keep calm, but the only way he could do that was to stop talking altogether. He was afraid something might slip while he was angry, and even though he didn’t want to admit it… He was still scared of the consequences. _Better to just stay quiet._

It kinda irked him that Shiro was beginning to be able to read him, now. He hadn’t said anything at all, but somehow he had figured out that he really liked steak. And the whole blanket thing, too. He hated to think that he was so easily readable. Keith thought this over as they strolled through the aisle, looking at different cuts of meat. Truthfully, he’s only had steak twice in his life. It was way too expensive to afford, and the omegan schools never served it, naturally.

               “How about these?”

Shiro handed him a package of three small, round steaks. He looked at the name: _filet mignon._ Then he looked at the price. _Holy shit! Why is it so expensive? Do people really make this much money?_

“Um, aren’t these kind of expensive?”

Shiro took the package from him, placing it in the cart.

“Not for you.”

_What the fuck? Was he trying to butter him up, or something? Bribe him into liking him?_ No one has ever gone out of their way for him like Shiro had. And while some people might find it to be endearing, he found it suspicious. He wasn’t a person that can be bought, he’d made that clear. Or at least he thought he had…

               Despite the trip starting off a bit rocky, it wasn’t as horrible as he thought it would be. He could tell that Shiro was at least _trying_ to get to know him, while at the same time giving him space. He was surprised at the way he had stood up for him at the pharmacy. He was surprised that he went and bought expensive ass steaks. The guy wasn’t awful, but that didn’t stop Keith from holding a bit of a grudge. Or a lot of a grudge, same difference.

               He was relieved to find the hotel room in order. Lance wasn’t exactly the most _organized_ of people, and he had been known to make a mess. Clothes strewn out about the floor, lotions and face creams and a ton of other stuff always littered the bathroom. But he’d done a nice job at packing up, he had to admit. They were gone for a while, though.

               Keith looked at the time; it was only about 1 PM. Were they going to go see this place? He had to admit while he wasn’t all that happy about living _in the district office,_ he was curious as to what it would be like. Surely a place of that esteem would have some nice living arrangements, right? Lance seemed to be thinking the same thing.

“So Shiro, when can we go? I want to see the place!”

Shiro hadn’t even had the time to take off his shoes before Lance was barraging him with questions. _How big is the place? Will it have a kitchen? Is it like attached to the actual district office, or is it a separate building?_ Keith could tell Shiro was losing a bit of patience, so he tried to distract him for a bit.

               “Hey Lance… Show me how to send a message on this thing again?”

Lance groaned loudly, stomping over to him and snatching the phone from his hands.

“All you have to do is—“

Keith wasn’t paying attention, but he gave a sideways glance to Shiro, who looked thankful for the peace. He could tell Shiro was still angry, about what he didn’t know. But he seemed to be just as upset about the exchange at the pharmacy as he himself was. Maybe that was it.

               Fifteen minutes passed before they had the truck all packed up and ready to go. Luckily they hadn’t bought anything frozen, but they did have some meat that would need to get into the fridge. Good thing the drive wasn’t long. When they finally pulled up to the building Keith’s stomach dropped. He was only looking at the outside, but he could already tell what the place was going to be like. These rich politicians really throw around their money, apparently.

               The entire property was gated and guarded, which worried him immensely. They were essentially going to be trapped in this place, and that didn’t sit well with him. When the gates opened for them they were directed to a parking lot behind the building, and shown where they would be staying. The back of the building sort of resembled an apartment complex, what with its covered parking and room numbers on the outside of the doors. They had a place on the second floor, apparently.

               Keith was surprised at the complete lack of elevators. Which meant they had to climb the stairs with all of their things in tow, making trip after trip before they finally got everything unloaded and settled outside the door. The guard in the front had given Shiro a key, and they all seemed to hold their breath as he unlocked the door. The outside was just as nice as the inside. The apartment was large, with brown slate tile making up most of the room. They each took a peak around, but from what they could all see it was nice.

In the main living area there was a rather large TV, across from which sat a fluffy couch and a large ornate rug. The coffee table was a deep mahogany, with a glass top. There was a kitchenette, as well as a large French door refrigerator, a coffee maker, and a microwave. To Keith’s disappointment there was no balcony, and of course only one bedroom. The couch looked pretty comfortable, though, more so than the one he was used to. The bathroom had a large corner tub, complete with jets and silver faucets. There was also a walk in shower, the walls tiled into intricate little designs.

Overall the place was nice. It certainly surpassed where they had been living before, at the very least. 

 

Moving in: Lance

               They spent the majority of the rest of the day unpacking things and getting settled. Honestly he didn’t have very much to unpack, but he still helped Shiro unload things like dishes and helped to organize the closet with all of their clothes. It was boring, but he was excited anyway. They’d actually made it here, to the district office, and if things all go as planned then eventually Zarkon will be G-O-N-E.

The night creeped up on the three of them way too early, and they all decided to call it a day. Keith retired to the couch as he usually did, and Lance and Shiro took the bedroom. The mattress here was a lot more comfortable than the one he had at home, and the mahogany bedframe was really nice. He tried to sleep; really, he did. But it was Shiro’s first day tomorrow, and he had to admit that he was nervous. Shiro had promised to brief them on what to do in the morning, but Lance had a feeling that it would be the start of a lot of drama.

Lance awoke to an empty bed, which was unusual considering he usually got up first. Shiro had apparently already showered and dressed, and Keith sat in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal.

“What time is it?” Lance called out from the bedroom.

“It’s 7. We have to be ready and there by 8,” Shiro called back.

_Shit._ An hour wasn’t all that much time; he still needed to eat, shower, get dressed, and do his morning skincare routine, which took _at the very least_ 15 minutes. Groaning, he heaved himself out of bed and plodded tiredly to the kitchen. He sat next to Keith, opting for some cereal because it was quick and easy. Keith looked half asleep, but he too was dressed and ready.

“Were you guys ever gonna get me up? I’m gonna be late at this rate!” he complained.

Keith shrugged.

“You just looked so peaceful sleeping. I didn’t have the heart to wake you—“

“Well wake me! I have to look my best, and quite frankly an hour isn’t enough time to—“

“You’re wasting time, Lance. Eat,” Keith scolded, obviously not all that interested in the conversation.

               After rushing through his morning routine, the three of them sat down on the couch to talk. Apparently it was considered irresponsible to leave an omega home unsupervised, so they had to accompany Shiro to work. Shiro explained the guidelines.

“According to Allura, we are going to have to try to do some blending in. I know that this will be uncomfortable for the two of you, but remember as soon as we get home none of this applies,” Shiro glanced at Keith.

“You follow me wherever I go. If I sit, you sit on the floor beside me. You aren’t to speak unless directly spoken to, but I doubt that will happen.  And above all else, try to blend in. You two won’t be the only omegas in the building, so look to the others to see how they handle things.”

Shiro wrung his hands together.

“And above all else, know that this is not how I think of you. We are only doing this because we have to.”

               Lance nodded as Shiro spoke. This was all pretty standard; it was all stuff they were taught in school. Lance knew he could handle it, but he was worried about Keith. He looked beside him, where Keith sat biting his nails. He looked genuinely worried. It wasn’t in his personality to be quiet and take things like that. In fact, he was the complete opposite. Lance reached out and gave him a reassuring pat on the back.

“Let’s do this.”

Lance’s legs shook as they entered the district office. He had imagine the place would be a little over the top, but he wasn’t expecting something _this_ excessive. To his surprise an omegan woman was running the receptionist desk, but she was dressed more like a hooker than an employee. Regardless, the three of them followed her as they lead her to a separate wing of the building, where they were handed off to someone else.

               Shiro introduced himself as the new employee, and the man gave him a fake smile. He was tall; even taller than Shiro was, which was something to behold. He had big ears and a deep, intense voice. He could already tell that he didn’t like him.

“I’m Sendak,” the man bellowed, “and I am in charge of this sector. I’ll show you to your office and we can go over your duties and get you all set up.”

Not once did the man glance to him or Keith standing behind Shiro. It was as if they weren’t there at all, not even acknowledged. As they were lead through the various offices, he noticed a few omegas sitting beside their alphas. They all looked solemn and bored, sights downcast and eyes devoid of emotion. Lance glanced to Keith, who was looking at the other omegas as well. Keith never showed much outward emotion, but Lance could have sworn he detected something like anger in his expression. But he could just be imagining things.

               The man named Sendak would not stop talking, and Lance had tuned him out a long time ago. They were going over a ton of policies and business procedures that he couldn’t even begin to understand. Shiro seemed to take it all in stride, nodding as the man explained everything. He had no idea how Shiro could understand anything this guy was saying.

               Shiro’s office was of a decent size. There was a large window on the wall across from the door, and a desk sat facing away from it. Unlike the rest of the building, the offices were carpeted, though the ugly blue design wasn’t all that attractive. There sat a small leather couch on the adjacent wall, a clock hanging above it. On top of the desk sat a rather expensive looking computer, as well as a phone, a notepad, and pens among other things. He was almost disappointed; it looked just like a typical office. He was expecting something a bit more… gaudy? Extravagant?

               Shiro sat at the desk while Sendak explained something on the computer. Keith hesitated, looking to Lance for reassurance. Lance sat on the floor, and Keith quickly followed. It felt strange, sitting on the floor. The view from here was… well there was no view, really. Sendak paid them no mind as he concluded his instructions. When he had finally finished speaking about an hour later, Lance found himself dozing off. It was boring to just sit and do nothing, after all.

               “So two omegas, huh? How’d you manage that one?” the man eyed Shiro questioningly.

Shiro never faltered.

“I was a hunter, for a while.”

The big man nodded, as if that answered his question.

“Good for you, then,” Sendak said, finally looking down to the two of them on the floor.

He prodded them with his foot, turning his face as if inspecting him.

“Very nice.”

Finally the man left, and the three of them all let out a silent breath of relief. It took every ounce of self-control not to talk. Even if they were alone in this office, the door was still open. The entire building was eerily quiet, the only noises the occasional phone ringing and tapping of keys on the keyboard. The entire place seemed… sterile.

               The sound of the phone ringing startled him. Shiro answered it promptly, speaking all business-like. When he hung up the phone, Shiro stood. While he was grateful for the opportunity to stretch his legs, he didn’t like the look on Shiro’s face.

“Come on. Zarkon has requested our presence.”


	15. Behind Enemy Lines

Behind enemy Lines: Shiro  


The call had been sudden, and unexpected. He hadn’t exactly planned on directly interacting with this Zarkon guy. Even though his job was to advise him, everything about his interactions at the district office had suggested that Zarkon was untouchable. No one spoke directly to him, and everyone worked directly under him. But apparently Zarkon was pursuing more of a relationship than he had originally planned. It put a fork in things, for sure.

They walked down the hallway corridors, this time unassisted. The hallways were long and straight, until suddenly there is an intersection of two other hallways, and you are left wondering if you have been walking in circles. Luckily the paintings on the wall kept changing, (though their subject didn’t) so he knew they were going in the right direction.

Lance followed him awfully close, obviously uncomfortable. Keith, on the other hand, kept his distance. Keith never really showed any outward emotion, but he could smell it. He could smell the distinct scent of fear wafting from him, and instinctually his heart sped up too. Shiro tried to remain stoic, at the very least to reassure them that all would be okay.

The strange thing about the entire building was that, though it was filled with so many workers, the hallways always remained empty. Shiro had seen firsthand all of the cubicles and other workers sitting at their respective desks, but none ever seemed to venture far from it. It was unnerving, to say the least.

He knew they had reached the right place when he saw the immense marble doors. It was a two story doorway, immaculate just as everything else. He took a deep breath, and knocked. He was surprised when the doors opened suddenly, though it was apparent that they had been let in by the guards stationed by the door. The inside was not surprising. It had the same reflective floors, ornate windows (though all the curtains were pulled eerily closed) and extravagant art that hung on every spare space possible.

Zarkon himself sat in a large throne-like chair. It looked to be decorated with silver and gold, making it appear as more of a royal cathedra than anything else. Around the throne must have sat a dozen omegas, each chained to a bolt in the floor. They were all scantily clad, and every single one of them had their gazes downcast. Even their eyes looked dead. Shiro glanced over to the two omegas standing behind him, hoping to soothe them a little. Both looked to be shocked at the state of Zarkon’s harem, and both looked down at their toes to avoid staring.

Zarkon himself was a big man. His stature rivaled Hercules, his shoulders twice as broad as any man he had ever seen. His skin was sickly pale, as if it hadn’t seen the sun in years. Though he knew Zarkon to be quite old, he didn’t look it. He had expected someone with wrinkles and sagging skin, but his skin was far from it. He was covered in scars, but they only seemed to add to his intimidation factor. He dressed like a king, quite literally. He looked like he had stepped right out of the renaissance, a deep purple robe draped over his large frame. But what struck him most were his eyes. They were completely black, his irises matching the color of his pupils. It gave him an intense expression, perfect for staring someone down.

Shiro bowed as the guards closed the doors behind him.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Shiro.”

Even though he was an alpha, the voice made even him fill with dread. It radiated pure power, the sound deep and authoritative, and it echoed off of the walls.

“And you as well,” Shiro said, plastering some sort of expression on his face, though what it looked like he had no idea.

“I’ve called you here to extend a formal introduction,” Zarkon explained, “and to get to know you a little bit better. You’ll essentially become my right-hand man, so I believed a brief meeting was in order.”

“Of course.”

Everyone in the room was silent for a few moments, as if waiting for someone to finally fill the air. Zarkon spoke first.

               “Tell me about yourself, Shiro. I’d hate for us to remain strangers.”

He was really put on the spot here. What was he supposed to say? His life wasn’t all that interesting, and surely Zarkon knew all of the major details of his past already. The interviewer had done a very thorough background check. He decided to reiterate it anyway, unsure of what else to say.

“My life isn’t all that interesting,” he started, “but I thank you for your interest. As you probably know I’ve worked as a hunter up until this last year, before I decided to settle down.”

He motioned to Lance and Keith.

“And these are my omegas, Lance and Keith.”

               Zarkon eyed the two omegas standing behind him, as if appraising them for value.

“They are not bad specimens. Though I notice neither is carrying.”

He was dumbstruck by Zarkon’s straightforwardness.

“Yes that’s right. I was waiting for the right financial situation before starting a family, so it’s no fault of their own.”

Zarkon nodded slowly before speaking again.

“Surely now you are in an ideal financial position?”

He pretended to consider this for a moment.

“Indeed I am, now.”

“Yes, quite. As you know we are currently in an omega shortage. It is important to the wellbeing of society to birth many children. The world needs more obedient omegas to carry young.”

               He had to go along with it, even if he didn’t like it.

“I agree. A large family is important, and honorable,” Shiro said, eyeing the rounded bellies of more than half of the omegas chained at Zarkon’s feet.

This seemed to please the bastard, for what somewhat resembled a smile spread across the man’s face. 

“How correct you are. I wish you the best of fertility.”

“Thank you.”

A guard approached Zarkon from the side, leaning to whisper into his ear. Zarkon nodded as the man whispered, before dismissing him entirely.

“Well it seems as if work calls. It was nice to meet you Shiro. I look forward to working with you in the future.”

He didn’t get a chance to respond, for the next thing he knew Zarkon was on his feet and out the door. He followed him out, thankful to return to his dreary office. It was going to be a long week.

Behind Enemy Lines: Lance

               Lance was relieved that the day was now behind him. Sitting on his knees all day had not been comfortable at all, and he was surprised at how bored he got. He had expected a little more… well, traffic. Instead the place was near silent and no one ever came walking by. Meeting Zarkon had been both exhilarating and terrifying. He was a much larger and older man than he had expected, but his demeanor was predictable.

               Twice today he had been looked over like some sort of museum specimen, which bothered him to no end. But what he was really worried about was Keith. He hadn’t said anything all day and he wasn’t talking now, even in the safety of their own apartment. Shiro cooked dinner in the kitchen while Lance sat on the couch watching some stupid TV show. Keith rested on the arm of the couch, arms folded and a scowl on his face. When the TV reached commercials Lance decided to break the silence.

               “So…”

Keith side eyed him, but said nothing.

“What did you think of that office? Pretty dreary, huh?”

Keith continued to look at him, but he didn’t attempt to respond.

“Good talk.”

It was obvious something was up. Perhaps it was simply the shock of it all that had Keith so tongue-tied. It was quite a jarring experience. Even Lance was shaken up a bit. And if _he_ was feeling it, Keith must be feeling it _tenfold_. So he tried to ignore the fact that he was being ignored. He knew Keith wasn’t mad at him specifically, but it still hurt. _He could at least talk to me._

               The three of them sat down to dinner together, but only Shiro and he were talking. Truthfully, he had a burning question that he needed to address, but he wasn’t sure how to bring it up. Shiro was explaining some of the work he did, but Lance couldn’t pay much attention. There was something a bit more… _urgent_ that needed to be dealt with.

“Hey, Shiro?”

Shiro looked over to him, looking glad someone other than himself was talking.

“Yeah?”

He decided to just get it over with.

“What happens when one of us goes into heat?”

Keith choked, obviously unprepared for his question. Sure, it wasn’t something that he wanted to talk about, but he knew it was necessary, whether Keith liked it or not.  

               Shiro eyed them both carefully, as if weighing his words before he said them.

“Well as you know I’m not allowed to leave you guys home alone,” he started.

“…right?”

“So protocol says that you still go with me. I know it’ll be extremely uncomfortable, but we would get in even more trouble if one of you stayed behind.”

It wasn’t what he wanted to hear.

“Why Lance? Is it that time again for you soon?”

He turned red as a beet with all the attention placed on him. He meekly nodded, pushing the food around on his plate absent-mindedly.

“It’s okay. We’ll get through it. I’ll always be nearby, so there’s no need to worry. I’ll take care of you.”

               Lance smiled. Shiro’s words were reassuring, but he was still nervous. He had never been outside his dorm or the house in heat before. Most omegas hid away at home until it was over, but he didn’t exactly have that option. He really didn’t want to be surrounded by a ton of alphas while he was in heat, he was unsure of what it would do to his mind. Plus a lot of them were still unmated, so there’s no telling how they’d react to his smell. Sure, Shiro would be there to ward them all off, but he couldn’t exactly _take care of him_ in the office. It’d be uncomfortable all day.

               Keith shifted in his seat, looking uncomfortable. He hadn’t said a word all night, but he seemed even worse now. He had noticed the shift in his attitude when he mentioned his heat, and he figured that he might have been thinking the same thing. If Lance got his, Keith’s would be soon. That had to be it. After a rather long moment of silence, Keith stood and put his plate away. They watched him as he left for the bathroom, hearing the shower running moments later.

“Is something wrong with Keith?” Lance asked, wondering if Shiro had any explanation for his strange behavior.

“I think he’s just in shock about it all. He’ll need some time.”

“Yeah,” Lance agreed, but he was sure there was something more.

               Come to think of it, Keith hadn’t really talked to him much after they left the hotel. Even while unpacking he seemed rather distant, which was kinda normal, but he had though they had gotten over that already. Something was obviously bothering him, and knowing Keith he would never let it out. He sighed, clearing the table and helping Shiro with the dishes.

               It was early in the morning when it finally hit him. For one moment he was sound asleep, the next he was writhing uncomfortably on the bed, covered in sweat. He had known it would be soon. He was just surprised at _how_ soon.  All of his stirring woke Shiro, though he was still in a twilight-like sleep.

“Shiro,” Lance whined, fidgeting awkwardly.

Shiro pulled Lance into his chest, holding him tightly.

“It’s okay, baby. I’m here.”

The warmth of Shiro’s body, combined with the strong scent wafting from Shiro’s neck, calmed him enough to where he could fall back asleep. It wasn’t a restful sleep, but it was sleep nonetheless.

               The morning came far too soon. Shiro had to physically remove him from the bed, and he announced his protests very clearly. The last thing he wanted to do was wear constricting clothes, yet here he was, all dressed up. He decided he hated Shiro’s new job. Keith eyed Lance with concern, but he still didn’t say anything to him. The next thing he knew they were back in that damned office, and he was squirming on his knees.

“Try to sit still, Lance,” Shiro whispered, ruffling his hair empathetically.

               He tried to sit as still as possible, to focus on something else. But the blood running through his veins was just about boiling, and his entire body tingled despite himself. He was one of only three omegas in this sector, including Keith. He knew his scent stood out, and he could tell by all of the sudden traffic walking past Shiro’s office. A few of them lingered, pretending to be on the phone or doing something else, but it was obvious they were just stalling. Shiro was on edge because of that, ready to jump at anyone that dared come near him. But no one ever did.

               Except for Sendak.

He let himself into Shiro’s office without a word, walking directly over to him. He saw Shiro tense, but Sendak was his boss. He knew he had to be careful.

“So this is the reason why no one is getting anything done today,” Sendak laughed, looking down at him amusedly.

“It’s as if they’ve never smelled an omega in heat before. Though I have to admit, it’s pretty strong.”

Shiro stood then, saying nothing, but standing close enough to let Sendak know that he needed to back off.

               He didn’t seem to get the hint.

“A strong estrus is a sign of good fertility,” Sendak said, kneeling down to his level.

Lance felt tears come to his eyes. He hated being talked about like this, being _mocked_ like this. Sendak stared into his eyes, but his gaze felt as if it bore right through him. He wasn’t being seen as a person. He was being seen as an object. Sure, Shiro was here, but there wasn’t much he could do about the verbal abuse his boss was spewing.

“Do you want your alpha to fill you with pups?” Sendak teased, grabbing Lance by the chin and forcing him to look up at him.

               He couldn’t help it. Between his heat, Shiro’s scent, and Sendak’s mocking, he couldn’t hold back the tears. They spilled from his eyes pitifully as he nodded, giving the alpha what he wanted to hear.

“That’s enough,” Shiro said, moving to stand between him and the other alpha.

“Calm down,” Sendak said, putting his hands up innocently, “I won’t touch him.”

               _But you just did, asshole._ Lance didn’t point out that fact, even if he wanted to. Instead he let the tears fall, letting himself be degraded by Sendak’s mocking.

“Is there something you needed? If not I would have to ask you kindly to leave,” Shiro challenged.

Sendak glared at Shiro, but he backed away anyway.

“There’s no need to get all protective. This is a work space, after all.”

Shiro glared right back at him, gaze never faltering.

“Then if you would kindly let me get back to it.”

Sendak chuckled, but he finally left the office. Once he was gone, Lance fell forward onto his hands, trying to calm down. Shiro looked around the hall, shutting the door to his office when he found that no one was around.

               He knelt at Lance’s side, rubbing his back softly.

“I’m sorry, Lance. It’s okay. It’s going to be okay.”

He heard Shiro’s words somewhere in the back of his mind, but they weren’t currently registering. Even Keith took a turn rubbing his arm, offering him the only bit of support he could. They stayed like that for a while, Lance finally crying himself out to the point where he had nothing left. Shiro went back to his desk reluctantly, but he heard what he whispered in Keith’s ear.

“ _Take care of him for me_.”

Behind Enemy Lines: Keith

               _Take care of him for me._ He knew what Shiro meant, but there really wasn’t much he could do. It was just another reason why he hated alphas. Sendak had no right to barge in here like that; he had no right to tease Lance because of something he couldn’t help. He hated this place. He hated the people. He hated the atmosphere. He hated the house. He knew it was going to be rough, but he hadn’t expected anything nearly this bad.

               On top of it all sooner or later Lance would notice that Keith wasn’t getting his heat. Then there would be some serious explaining to do, along with some heated words he was sure. He wanted to tell Lance, really he did, but he knew it would just be too much for him. Everything was changing so fast, and nothing was going the way they had wanted.

               But staring at the slumped figure beside him, face splotchy with the aftermath of tears, anger swelled in his chest. He wanted to get this all over with. He wanted to kill Zarkon, kill Sendak, and murder anyone who had the gall to even come near him or Lance. But he knew that it would be a death mission. He had to be patient. Had to put up with all of the abuse and bullshit that the alphas had convinced society to be necessary before they could strike. But there was one thing for sure: they _would_ strike.

               He knew avoiding Lance wasn’t the answer, but it was the only thing that he could think to do. He’d never been much of a people person, and he’d never had this weird feeling hovering in his chest. It felt heavy, weighing him down, but he didn’t know how to get rid of it. So he just held Lance’s hand. For the rest of the day they both sat on their knees, hand in hand, Keith rubbing his thumb soothingly over Lance’s palm. He tried to send words through their touch.

               _It’ll be alright. We’ll get through this. Think of all the people we will be saving._

He wasn’t sure if Lance got the message, but Lance did squeeze his hand back. Maybe he did hear him. Or maybe he just knew.

               He knew exactly what would happen when they walked through the door. Shiro and Lance disappeared into the bedroom, and Keith turned up the volume on the TV so he wouldn’t have to hear it. He’d heard it all before. And at first it had disgusted him. But now it felt—different. He knew what was going on behind the door, and somehow the knowledge of it crushed his heart. He knew Shiro was only helping Lance, and that Lance and Shiro loved each other. But he couldn’t shake the nagging empty feeling that settled over him. He turned up the volume louder. Louder. But no amount of noise could drown out that feeling.

               Keith knew that it was wrong. He knew that hiding things from Lance was wrong. He knew that harboring feelings of love for another omega was wrong. And he knew his hatred of Shiro was wrong and unwarranted, to a certain degree. Keith laid down on the couch, covering his face with a pillow. How’d he get into this mess? How the heck did he become mated and fallen in love with another omega? How did he end up in the district office, the very _last_ place he’d ever want to be? A year ago all he had wanted was to escape the running and go to college.

               He still wanted to go to college, but now there were more things to worry about. He wanted the coup to be successful. Wanted Lance to be happy. Wanted Shiro to take care of Lance like he deserved, even if the alpha didn’t deserve him. Keith groaned into the pillow.

“How’d everything get to be so complicated?”

               The two lovebirds didn’t emerge until sometime around midnight. Lance looked tired, even he wasn’t making an attempt at conversation. Shiro looked even more tired, but the kind of emotionally tired that people sometimes feel. Shiro could exercise all day long, but this wasn’t a physical tired. He looked emotionally conflicted, drained. Keith knew the feeling.

               All he could do was look forward to the weekend. Maybe they could all leave this damned place, even if it’s only for a little while. He didn’t want to admit it, but he actually missed the log cabin. It had been cozy, there were no nosy neighbors, evil dictators, or city smog. Compared to this place, it wasn’t really all that bad. It was the first time he had felt truly homesick. The dorms were far from homely, and his childhood in the foster care system wasn’t all that forgiving either. He didn’t like that he was mated, but he did miss the cabin. It was the closest thing to _home_ he’d ever had.

               He thought back to the day when Lance and he were locked in the bedroom together. He remembered their heated conversation somehow turning into supportive words. He remembered this huge weight being lifted from him, and a new sort of excitement at the thought of getting to know someone new. He’d give anything to go back to that day. That was the day that he had discovered what it meant to have a home. But he hadn’t even realized it.


	16. The Adventures of Baking Soda

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've kind of decided where I'm going to start steering this story. Hopefully the next few chapters will be a bit more interesting plot-wise. So sorry for another slow chapter, it should be the last for a while!

The Adventures of Baking Soda: Lance

               He hated everything about this place. The sexual harassment, the sterile atmosphere, the eerie silence that penetrated anything within a 5 mile radius—it was too much. He also decided that Sendak, like Zarkon, was an evil self-serving bastard. Go figure. It’s why when the weekend finally rolled around, he was relieved.

               His heat had only lasted a day and a half, one of his shortest yet. He was thankful for it, though, because sitting in that office enduring it was fucking awful. He figured the worst was behind him now, or at least the worst for this month, and that finally he could enjoy himself. It would be hard living from weekend to weekend, but at least he was entitled to that much. Honestly he was just looking forward to lounging around the house with Keith and Shiro, maybe watching a movie or something. But of course something had to shatter his plans.

“Guys I have to go for a while. I’ll probably be gone for most of the day,” Shiro said over breakfast.

“What!?? But Shiro it’s finally _the weekend!_ Stay with us!”

Shiro smiled at him sadly, getting up to clear the table.

“I really wish I could. But I’m meeting with Allura today to discuss some important things. I would bring you with me, but should anything happen I’d prefer you two to stay here.”

               Lance pouted. He knew Shiro had good reason to go, but he still wasn’t happy about it.

“I’m not supposed to leave you guys unsupervised, so if anyone calls or comes to the door don’t answer it. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

The next twenty minutes were filled with silence, and Lance sulking, until Shiro finally left.

“I’ll be back, don’t worry,” Shiro said, pulling Lance into a one-sided hug.

He did eventually reciprocate, wrapping his arms around the alpha and inhaling his scent deeply. Reluctantly, he let go.

               And then there were two. Keith hadn’t said anything all morning, but that was not all that unusual for him. He was just so sick of the silence, he wanted to fill the weekend with words to make up for the immense quiet he was forced to endure. Too bad it didn’t look like Keith would be a willing conversation partner. Maybe he could take a nap.

               Instead he found himself rummaging through the closet, looking for what he didn’t quite know himself. He pulled out a few of Shiro’s shirts, a few of Keith’s, some of his own. He found the throw pillows that they had bought together, along with some matching sheets. He even stole Keith’s red blanket from off of the sofa.

               Lance looked at the pile of things he had gathered. Now where in the heck would he put all this? He decided that the corner of the living room, next to the TV, would be a good place. So he dumped everything in the corner, arranging and rearranging until he was satisfied. He stood back a few feet, looking over the pile.

“What the hell are you doing?”

Keith’s voice startled him. He had felt the curious eyes following him during some of his many trips from the bedroom to the corner, but he didn’t expect Keith to say anything. It’d actually been a long time since the two of them had really talked.

               “Uh… redecorating?”

“Why did that come out as a question?”

Lance sighed, “You know I don’t really know myself. It just felt right, you know?”

Keith furrowed his brows, covering his eyes with his hand, annoyed.

“Really Lance? You’re seriously nesting and you have no idea that you’re even doing it. Put all that stuff back.”

Now that he thought about it… Oh, shit. He looked down at his carefully arranged mountain of soft things. He was right. God, how embarrassing.

               “It is not a nest! I just wanted to nap out here, that’s all,” Lance explained, laying down in the soft pile.

“Sure, Lance. Because we all nap with a giant ass pile of other people’s clothing for seemingly no reason.”

Lance ignored him, making a show of getting comfortable, closing his eyes in a sort of faked bliss. He could feel Keith staring at him, but he pretended not to notice. Eventually he heard Keith sigh, and then the soft sound of someone sitting down on the couch.

               Lance let himself get comfortable, nestling his head into one of Shiro’s old shirts and inhaling deeply. He’d never nested before. Of course, he’d never been mated before either. Wasn’t nesting a sign of something? An upcoming heat? Sexual desire?

Suddenly his eyes flew open, and he scrambled out of the corner as fast as he could.

“What the hell, Lance? What’s wrong with you?”

He gulped nervously.

“I think I’m pregnant.”

               It was Keith’s turn to freak out.

‘What do you mean, _pregnant?!!_ You idiot, now is not the time to—“

He was hyperventilating. He _couldn’t_ be pregnant. All omegas nested once and a while, it was normal. It didn’t mean anything, right? Instantly his entire body felt hot, the room beginning to spin. He couldn’t be… What would Shiro say? Oh my god what if Shiro’s mad? What if he didn’t want kids? They’d never discussed this before. He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

               “Stop freaking out, you idiot. You don’t know that you’re pregnant, so stop jumping to conclusions.”

“BUT WHAT IF I AM?”

Keith walked into the kitchen, fumbling through the pantry looking for something. When he finally found it, he handed Lance a box of baking soda. Lance stared at the box dumbly.

“What the hell am I supposed to do with this? And you say _I’m_ the crazy one.”

Keith slapped him on the back of the head.

“You idiot. But some of that in a cup and then pee in it. If it fizzes, you can worry. Now go.”

               “What the hell Keith? How do you know this sort of thing?”

Keith never answered him, instead pushing him into the bathroom. He closed the door, but he couldn’t bring himself to do anything else.

“Keith, I can’t do it.”

“Do what, pee?”

“No, I don’t want to know if I’m pregnant or not. What if I am? What then?”

There was silence on the other side of the door for a few moments, until Keith’s voice finally responded.

“Just pee in the cup, you idiot. How else are we going to find out? You’re probably worrying for nothing.”            

               He hoped Keith was right.

The Adventures of Baking Soda: Shiro

               He had only been working for a week but already he felt as if he had acquired a lot of valuable information. With time, he should be able to determine Zarkon’s schedule and get a better idea of the layout of the entire building. This information would prove to be invaluable, he knew.

               But when he met with Allura, he still felt at a loss for words. She had so many questions—things that not even he had been thinking about, and a lot of them he just couldn’t answer. She didn’t seem to be frustrated, but he was frustrated with himself for not being observant enough. He’d have to up his game. After all, he’d like to get this whole thing on the road so they could leave that hell hole.

               Allura sighed, rubbing her temples as if she was annoyed.

“I’m sorry, Allura. It’s not like I’m one on one with Zarkon all the time. I’m pretty much just stuck in an office all day.”

She grimaced.

“I’m sorry. I’m not frustrated, really. I know this will take some time. I guess I’m just eager to get things going.”

She smiled then, placing a hand on Shiro’s knee.

“I trust you, Shiro. We knew going into this that it would take some time. I’m sorry if I came off as impatient.”

Shiro smiled back at her.

“I understand. I feel the same way; I want equality as much as you do. It’s hard to sit around and wait when you know what’s going on out there,” he confided.

She looked at him sadly.

“Yeah.”

               Their meeting didn’t last long, as he didn’t have much information to give. He did however get some ideas as to what to look out for, which made the whole trip worthwhile at least. He could feel that Allura was just as anxious as he was to get this coup going. After experiencing the district office first hand, he was even more passionate about this whole thing. He was passionate before, sure, but things change when you see what sort of life these poor people are forced to lead, chained at someone’s feet. No one deserved that. Slavery had been abolished years ago, yet somehow it seemed as if it was still taking place. It _was_ still taking place, though Zarkon had gotten people to look the other way and ignore it.

               From what he had experienced, this Zarkon guy had too much power for his own good. Every single decision the department made had to be approved by Zarkon himself, in writing. It made any ideas of reform or equality impossible. If you even suggested something of the sort you’d be fired on the spot. The group of people that Zarkon chose to surround himself with were all just like him; they thought the same things, treated omegas the same way.

Somehow this guy had created an entire form of government filled with little miniature versions of himself. He’s been unopposed all these years not because people didn’t want a change, but because he’d formed a corrupt government. In fact, you couldn’t really call it a government. It was a dictatorship under the guise of government. Everything Zarkon had done—the omegan schools, the news regulation—he’d tricked society into painting him as a hero.

It all started with the omegan schools. As soon as an omega hits puberty, they are forced from their homes and families and put into schools where their minds are molded to Zarkon’s liking. They taught omegas to be meek, weak, and obey all orders. They taught “history” of how Zarkon had saved the omegas from a horrible fate, sided with them and stood in their favor. It was all a lie. In all reality it was an overzealous home-ec class. _This is how you do laundry. This is how you cook food. Here’s how to raise a baby._

He decided it ended with him. This couldn’t go on any longer. If he had to risk his life trying to overthrow Zarkon’s evil reign, he’d do it. Not because he felt obligated to, but because he knew it was the right thing to do. If no one else was going to step up and do something, then he would. He’d do it for Lance. He’d do it for Keith. He’d do it for his children and his grandchildren and his friends and their children and their children’s children. He’d do it for everybody.

The apartment was quiet when he walked in. Which is normal for Keith, but usually Lance would be meeting him right at the door, bouncing up and down. He’d begun to look forward to coming home to a house filled with people he loved.

“Lance? Keith?”

He shut the door and removed his shoes, pausing to look at the house. It was then that he saw it: a pile of blankets and clothes in the corner of the living room, with two omegas snuggled on top. His heart fluttered.

               Shiro smiled as he looked at the two of them; they looked so peaceful in their sleep. To be honest he wasn’t really sure he was doing this whole “family” thing right. He’d noticed the rift between Lance and Keith lately, and he wondered if it was somehow his fault. They’d been getting along so well up until recently. Keith had hardly spoken since they’d arrived. He could just be having a hard time adjusting, but he felt that there was something deeper than that.

               But seeing the two of them snuggled together in a nest eased his nerves a bit. He knew he wasn’t the best alpha, and that there were a lot of areas for improvement. But somehow coming home to two omegas who felt comfortable enough to make a nest made it all better. He may not do everything right, but he must be doing at least _some_ things right. He was learning as he went along, and he’d get better with time.

               He didn’t have the heart to wake them, so he set himself the task of making dinner. He tried to be as quiet as he could, but inevitably the sounds of clanking silverware and the simmer of food on the stove had roused them. He was almost sad to see them wake. In their sleep they looked so happy, so carefree and full of cheer. That cheer instantly faded the moment they woke, their faces switching from expressions of peace to expressions of worry. One day. One day he wants them to wake up with that same look of happiness they had in their sleep. When that happened, he knew he would be truly and utterly _happy._

 

The Adventures of Baking Soda: Keith

               How long did it take for someone to pee in a cup? It felt as if twenty minutes had passed by since he pushed Lance into the bathroom, but he knew it was more along the lines of a few minutes. He was scared. Not only for Lance, but in general, too. Pregnancy is the last thing they needed right now.

               A part of him was angry at Shiro. How could he have been so careless? How could he drag them all over here into the district office and then do something so stupid? He didn’t want Lance to be pregnant. He wanted to think it was because he only had all of their best interests in mind, but he knew he was just being selfish. He didn’t want Lance to carry Shiro’s babies. He knew that he could never get Lance pregnant, what with them both being omegas, but that didn’t matter. He simply didn’t want Lance to have _Shiro’s_ babies.

               After a few minutes of silence Keith knocked on the door.

“Hey? You alright in there?”

His question was met with silence.

“Lance? If you don’t answer me I swear to god I’ll kick this door down—“

His heart stopped when two watery eyes peeked out from behind the door.

“Lance?”

His heart dropped. Surely Lance couldn’t be…?

               “It didn’t fizz.”

He was about to sigh in relief when he saw the tears in Lance’s eyes.

“What’s wrong, Lance? Isn’t this a good thing? Isn’t this what you wanted?”

Lance fully emerged from the bathroom then, throwing himself down into the makeshift nest he had made earlier. And then Lance cried. Keith never was very good with these sorts of things, but he just didn’t understand. Why was Lance crying? Did he _want_ to be pregnant?

               Lance’s chest shuddered as he cried, his face pressed down into the pillow. Keith crawled into the nest with him, rubbing his back to get him to calm down. And while that usually worked, it just didn’t today.

“Did you want to be pregnant?” Keith asked under his breath.

Finally he was met with two eyes.

“… No. I don’t—I don’t know why I’m crying. I know not being pregnant is a good thing, but a part of me—“

Lance never finished his sentence, instead struggling for breath as he cried.

               He think he understood, now. Unable to soothe him with words, Keith laid down next to Lance, pulling him close just as Lance had for him when he had his nightmare that one time. He let Lance sob into his chest for what seemed like hours, but he never let go.

               Keith awoke to the sound of someone rummaging through the kitchen. He looked around in confusion for a moment, unsure of his surroundings until he realized he was in Lance’s nest; with Lance drooling cutely on his chest. It appeared that he was still asleep, so he tried to stay as still as possible. He didn’t know how long he had slept, but Shiro was back now.

               The smell of food had his mouth watering. Somehow he and Lance had slept the entire day away, though with the stress that they’d been through this week he wasn’t really all that surprised. He was having a hard time adjusting, and he could tell that Lance was too. He wasn’t used to the prim and proper ways that living here required. He’d gotten used to the casual setting they’d established in the cabin. And while he hated it then, he craved it now.

               Lance looked a lot more at ease when he woke up. He smiled at Keith, still half-asleep, and then proceeded to use his lap as a pillow. He didn’t mind. The heavy mood from before had lifted, and the promise of food seemed to help as well. Finally Shiro noticed Keith sitting up, and he waved and smiled at him.

“Food’s almost ready. Lance awake?”

Keith looked down to the drooling person in his lap.

“What do you think?”

They both laughed at that. Everything felt oddly… domestic. He’d never imagined that he would one day lead a domestic life. In fact, he’d bristled at the very idea of it. But being here with Lance changed his outlook a little bit. He still wanted his freedom, and he still wanted to chase his dreams. But he finally understood the appeal of being tied down to somebody, being able to share your life with someone else. It left a warm feeling in his heart that he never wanted to forget.

               Their laughter had apparently woken Lance. He sat up suddenly, rubbing the drowsiness from his eyes.

“Shiro?”

Lance jumped up immediately, sending Keith a glare.

“Why didn’t you tell me he was home? I didn’t get to greet him at the door!”

He could tell Lance wasn’t really mad.

“I was asleep you idiot.”

“No excuse,” Lance called back, running up to hug Shiro.

 “I missed you,” Lance whispered, nuzzling his face into Shiro’s chest.

Shiro chuckled.

“I missed you, too.”

               The whole exchange was sickeningly sweet, but it still left him with a sinking feeling in his heart. _Someday, I want you to greet me like that._ He shook his head. _Then I’ll be truly happy._


	17. Whispered Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the BDSM tag comes into play here. While there is no explicit recount of anything, I'd like to give a fair warning to those uncomfortable with that sort of thing. Additionally, I've decided that I'm not going to hold back the original story that I had planned. There will be angst and uncomfortable scenes, some dubious consent, and of course smut. If you are uncomfortable with any of this, I truly apologize, and thank you for staying with me thus far. That being said there will be no explicit recount of rape or torture, so for those of you that like to stay on the mild side (like me) you should be safe. Thank you all for your understanding~~

Whispered Secrets: Lance

               The days started to blur together as time went on. They’d been in the district office for a couple of weeks now, but if you asked him what day it was he’d have no idea. Glaring daggers at the carpet everyday got old, and after so many days of doing so, he lost track of time. In fact, time seemed to tick at an entirely different pace here, almost as if each second was slowed.

After the pregnancy scare everything seemed to have settled down. Shiro was working, Keith was finally talking to him a bit more, and Lance continued to live on as normal. He’d admit that he was definitely bored, but the increasing frequency of interactions with Zarkon tended to liven up the whole situation. While he still held that intimidating aura, he was getting a bit more comfortable around Zarkon. Often times Shiro and him would be so engrossed in conversation that Keith and him could make faces at each other. No one seemed to notice, and it brought some excitement to the day.

That is until today. He and Keith had grown bored of making faces at each other as Shiro and Zarkon talked, so they decided to listen in a bit. Most of the time it was about political jargon that neither of them could understand, but today seemed different. Shiro had a strange look of intensity about him, and Zarkon talked as if everything he said was of the upmost importance.

“I believe in democracy,” Zarkon stated, “Let the people choose a leader who will do what is best for them, even if they deem it not so.”

               Lance rolled his eyes, glancing to Keith. They made eye contact and snickered. With no one seeming to pay attention, Keith leaned over to whisper to him.

“ _I believe in democracy,”_ Keith mocked, “ _even though we haven’t had a democratic election in years.”_

Lance smiled at him until he realized they were being watched. The blood drained from his face as he noticed Zarkon’s attention turned towards them. His heart sped up even more when Shiro turned to look at them as well. Keith kneeled as still as stone.

               “It seems that one of your omegas has forgotten his place,” Zarkon bellowed, “I would think that a person of your status would have better control over their inferiors.”

Shiro’s entire body tensed, but he remained as calm as he could. Zarkon must have an amazing sense of hearing. Though how could he not, with ears that large. Shiro eyed them both reproachfully, answering Zarkon’s reprimand.

“Indeed I am surprised. It is out of character for them.”

Lance’s entire body filled with shame. They’d gotten too comfortable, and now Shiro was paying for it. Scratch that. Now they _all_ would pay for it.

“I would hate for my omegas to pick up on such unacceptable behavior,” Zarkon motioned to several of the omegas chained at his feet, “So we must make an example of them. Do you not agree?”

Shiro’s jaw stiffened.

“Yes, Sir,”

He knew Shiro couldn’t say no. And he knew that it pained him to say those words, receiving the silent message of apology he was sending their way.

               “Indeed.”

Zarkon addressed them directly for the first time.

“So which of you two decided it was acceptable to speak when not addressed?”

Lance took a sidelong glance at Keith, who was visibly shaking. His entire body trembled with fear; a nervous sweat forming about him. He’d never seen him look so scared before. So he did something about it.

“I did, Sir. And I apologize. I wasn’t thinking,” Lance offered.

Keith snapped his head around to look at Lance in shock. Tears welled in his eyes, but behind them he could sense the surprise. Lance sent him a reassuring smile. _It’ll be okay._

               Zarkon scratched his chin in thought, the silence growing louder with each passing second.

“Surely, boy, you must know that your alpha and I are engaged in important conversation. So please, tell us what was so important as to warrant an interruption.”

Lance’s mouth went dry. There was nothing he could say that would satisfy either of them, so he chose to stay silent.

“As I thought.” Zarkon turned to address Shiro again. “I am unpleasantly surprised at the lack of respect your omega shows for both you and this district.”

“I’m sorry, Sir, but I can assure you this will not happen again,” Shiro tried to assure him.

A heinous smile spread across Zarkon’s face.

“And I will make sure of that,” Zarkon assured, “Punish him.”

Shiro looked panicked.

“As soon as I return home I assure you—“

“No,” Zarkon interrupted, “Punish him here, right now. We must make an example of him.”

               Shiro dropped his head in defeat. He sent Lance an apologetic glance before he spoke again.

“And how might I punish him, Sir?”

Whispered Secrets: Keith

               He was letting Lance take the fall for him. He knew that he should have spoken up, should have taken the fall for what he had done. But for some reason he felt rooted to the ground, his voice having escaped him.

“In a way befitting of an omega of his status,” Zarkon motioned for one of his servants to bring in something. A chair, he realized. “Spank him.”

               Keith’s heart stopped. His breathing hitched. Surely he wasn’t being serious… Except he was. They were being treated as if they were unruly children, instead of grown human beings. Keith couldn’t find the courage to look at Lance after that. Whatever embarrassment or suffering Lance incurred next would be his fault. And here he was, letting it all happen.

               Shiro hesitated for a second before taking a seat in the newly produced chair. He motioned for Lance to come over. With as much dignity as possible Lance bent over Shiro’s lap, accepting whatever should come to him. _That should be me._ Shiro pushed down Lance’s pants to expose his bare bottom. _I should be up there._ Shiro raised his hand. _I’m too much of a wimp to stand up for him._ The first smack, Lance’s choked cry. _He deserves better than me._ The second. Keith had to look away. Tears escaped despite him willing them not to.

SMACK.

Lance whimpered.

SMACK.

He saw Lance’s hands grip the legs of the chair so hard that they turned white.

SMACK.

_I’m sorry._

SMACK.

Zarkon chuckled.

SMACK.

Keith’s senses faded as he closed his eyes.

               As soon as it had started it ended. He’d closed his eyes early on, but he couldn’t hide the fact that he knew what was going on. Finally Lance returned to kneel beside him, but he noticed that even doing so looked painful for him. With attention finally turned away from them, Lance turned to Keith. He couldn’t speak using words, so instead Lance wiped the tears that continued to fall from his eyes. He knew Lance was trying to tell him that everything was okay, that it was over now, but he was wracked with guilt. _It should have been me._

               Thoughts raced through his head for the rest of the day. He was disgusted with himself for letting Lance do what he did, but somewhere inside he was also thankful. Lance probably knew that something like this would be too much for Keith, and so he took it upon himself to protect him. But what had Keith ever done for him? He’d been nothing but a nuisance ever since the first day. He’d even gone so far as to hide the fact that he was taking suppressants, but Lance had come to him first when he thought he was pregnant. Their relationship was entirely one way.

               He loved Lance. That much he was sure of. But he saw now that Lance had no reason to love him back. He had been rude from the very start. And though he had shared a bit about his past, he’d never offered anything in return. Even now, he was keeping secrets. Lance didn’t love him because he shouldn’t. Keith hadn’t done anything to deserve his affections.

               Everyone was quiet once they made it home. Lance made it clear he wasn’t angry with Shiro, but he knew Shiro felt guilty anyway. They ate dinner in silence. They cleaned in silence. They convened in the living room in silence. He’d grown to hate silence. In school, he craved it, sought it out. But now that he had it, he realized how empty the world was without the noise.

               Keith took his chance to break the silence when Shiro disappeared into the bathroom to shower.

“Lance.”

Lance turned to him, smiling.

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry,” was all he could manage.

Lance smiled at him sadly.

“I’m not.”

For the second time that day he whipped his head around to look at Lance in surprise.

“I’d rather it be me than you,” Lance said.

               Keith groaned, falling over on the couch until his head rested in Lance’s lap. He covered his eyes to avoid looking at him.

“Why? Why are you so nice to me? I’ve been nothing but a jerk to you all this time.”

Lance ran a hand through his hair.

“You forget that you’re _my_ jerk.”

He peaked out from behind his fingers to steal a glance at Lance. This idiot looked completely serious.

“Don’t say things you don’t mean.”

The hand in his hair stopped abruptly. Curious, Keith uncovered his face.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you implying that I don’t really care about you?”

Keith’s face blushed red.

“No. I know you care about me. I just don’t know _why._ I haven’t exactly been the best or most honest of company.”

               The hand resumed its attentions in his hair. Lance hummed softly, looking down at him with a disappointed expression. Lance didn’t speak for a few minutes, but he eventually spoke up.

“You have been good company, Keith. Now whether or not you’re honest is an entirely different matter. The only person who would know _that_ is you.”

Keith swallowed, guilty.

“Actually, there is something that I’ve been meaning to tell you.”

Lance glanced down at him then, waiting for him to continue.

“I had Shiro get me heat suppressants. I didn’t want to tell you because I thought you’d feel obligated to as well. I wanted you to do what you wanted, not what _I_ made you think you want.”

Lance’s expressions never changed or faltered. Keith furrowed his brows, looking at him questioningly.

“Lance?”

“You idiot. You think I haven’t noticed your lack of heats lately? The diminishing smell? I know. I just thought you didn’t want to talk about it so I left it alone.”

               Keith opened his mouth in surprise, but shut it abruptly. Of course Lance had noticed. Lance was perceptive, smart, and it would be the only logical explanation as to his non-existent heats. But there was one thing he didn’t understand.

“If you knew, why didn’t you ever say anything? Aren’t you mad?”

Lance chuckled, which shook Keith who was still laying on his lap.

“Why would I be mad? It’s your body, not mine. And I knew you would tell me eventually. I wasn’t planning on it taking _this_ long but still—“

Keith groaned.

“I feel like an idiot.”

               Lance cupped Keith’s face with his hands, squeezing tightly.

“Keith, I told you once that you could tell me anything. But you can not-tell me things, too. Either way I’m here for you. Besides, you’re _my_ idiot.”

Keith tried to smile through Lance’s hands but it seemed to be an impossible task. Lance laughed, finally letting go of his face, but his gaze never once shifted away from him. And then Lance leaned down until he was hovering centimeters above his face, hesitating for a brief moment before finally closing the distance between them with a kiss.

               Unlike their first kiss, which was playful and chaste, this one lingered. He found himself arching back into the mouth on his, lips searching urgently for Lance’s. Keith’s heart pounded in his chest, so loud that he was sure Lance could hear it. But then Lance pulled him up into a sitting position, drawing him back into his lap, and with his head so close to the other omega’s chest, he realized the other’s was beating just as fast.

               He wasted no time initiating this time. The minimal space between them vanished as he pressed his lips to Lance’s, their tongues gently testing the waters as they slipped into each other’s mouths hesitantly. Finding that the feeling was mutually enjoyable, Keith allowed himself to venture further into Lance’s mouth, hands instinctively wrapping around his neck as they kissed.  He wanted this moment to last forever, to be branded onto his skin to forever remind him of it. But all good things must come to an end.

               The sound of the bathroom door opening brought them both back to reality, and Keith quickly slid off of Lance’s lap. Shiro emerged a minute later, towel still damp around his neck. He tried to disguise his heavy breathing and calm his racing heart. But for the first time, when Shiro entered the room, Lance didn’t immediately turn away to greet Shiro. Instead the two of them locked eyes, reveling in the aftermath of their shared experience.

Whispered Secrets: Shiro

               While he knew that Lance and Keith had grown close, he didn’t expect to see what he did as he stepped out of the bathroom. Keith sat atop Lance’s lap, the two making out passionately. He decided not to disturb, for risk of embarrassing them. So he closed and opened the door a bit louder this time, making it obvious that he was going to be entering the room. He saw them both panic, Keith sliding out of Lance’s lap in an instant. When he entered the room the two still had their eyes locked on each other. Shiro smiled to himself. He was just glad they were getting along.

               After what he had been forced to do today, he wasn’t surprised. After a trauma such as that, anyone would be looking for some comfort. He knew Lance had taken the fall for Keith, and he knew that Zarkon probably did too. When Keith refused to make eye contact and turned deathly pale, entire body shaking, it was a dead giveaway at who had actually spoken. Perhaps Zarkon knew that it would be even more of a punishment to watch his friend take the fall for him, so he pretended not to notice.          

               Either way, Lance had protected Keith. He was proud of him for that; he knew if Keith had been the one to take the blame then the things between them would only further deteriorate. They’d made so much progress, he’d hate to see it all go away because of Zarkon’s stupid little game. Even so, he never wanted to be made to lay a hand on another omega again. It hurt him just as much to hit Lance as it probably felt for him, but he knew Lance would be forgiving. Bless his soul; he was so mindful of others, able to read people so easily. Lance had even smiled at him in a bit of encouragement before it had happened. His acknowledgement didn’t make it any easier, though.

               It seemed that as far as harassment at the workplace goes, Lance got the short end of the stick. Shiro couldn’t even count all the times he had been forced to step in between him and Sendak, who tended to get a little too _hands on._ But at home he remained the same Lance he was, understanding and happy. He truly was a gem.

               But then again, so was Keith. While he didn’t have the same kind of relationship with him, he could tell just how hard he was trying. Not once had he ever complained, instead doing the very opposite of what he wanted to do in order to reach a common goal. Keith was just as selfless as Lance in that way. And even though he hadn’t stood up for himself today, he knew it was because he physically _couldn’t_.          

               He knew from experience that when Keith was really, truly scared, he completely froze. That’s what had happened today, he assumed. Lucky for him he had two people on his side, willing to take the fall for him at any time. He hoped Keith knew that while he was in Lance’s corner, he was in _his_ , too.

               With the three of them finally in the same room, Shiro decided to speak his mind.

“I just want to say that I’m sorry. Not only to Lance, but to you both. I know that what happened today was hard for you both. I want you to know that it was hard for me, too. God be willing, I will never lay an abusive hand on either of you.”

He’d already apologized to Lance, but he wanted Keith to know that he was sorry, too.

“I just want you to know that what I did today is in no way a representation of how I feel.”

“You had no choice, Shiro. We know that,” Lance said for the two of them.

Shiro smiled thankfully.

“Besides, it was kinda hot.”

               Shiro just about choked.

“Lance!” Keith reprimanded, slapping him non-committedly.

They all laughed it off.

Now that things had finally settled down, he felt that he was encroaching on the two omegas. He had obviously interrupted some sort of… strange bonding the two of them had going on, so he decided to see himself out.

“I’m gonna hit the hay,” Shiro said with a fake yawn, “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight!” Lance called after him.

               The bed felt empty without Lance in it, and Shiro was having a hard time sleeping. Truthfully it hadn’t really been that long since he had met Keith and Lance, but already he couldn’t imagine a life without them. Seeing as Lance still hadn’t come to bed, he made his way out into the living room to check on them both.

               He found Keith and Lance huddled together on Lance’s makeshift nest, sound asleep. Grinning, he threw a blanket over the two of them and whispered.

“Sweet dreams.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also I'm sorry this chapter is a bit short, unedited, and later than usual. It was my sister's 16th birthday. Had to celebrate!


	18. A Promise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mention of rape. Nothing explicit.

A Promise: Shiro

               Lance had been spending more and more time with Keith in the nest, and less and less in the bed with Shiro. While other alphas might have gotten mad, it truthfully made him happy. He knew Keith was one who usually kept to himself, so the fact that he had opened up to Lance (and seemingly fallen in love with him) was actually a good thing. He still missed Lance, of course, but it’s not like he was all that far away.

               The weekends were his reprieve. On the weekends where he didn’t meet with Allura to exchange information, he liked to stay at home and lounge with the two of them. Lance constantly begged to go out and see the city, but quite frankly Shiro was just too exhausted to do anything more than grocery shopping. Keith seemed to be fine with the arrangement; he never mentioned wanting to do anything in particular (though Shiro continued to ask, just in case).

               This weekend was a little different. It seemed hard to believe, but it would be the one year anniversary of The Running. It felt strange to think that an entire year had passed since then. Time sure flies. While Keith remained indifferent about the event, Lance wanted to celebrate. In fact, he _insisted_ that they do something special for the occasion. So here they found themselves at a semi-formal restaurant (aka the only sit down restaurant in the whole city), waiting for their server to come and take their orders.

               The place itself wasn’t overly formal, and the prices were pretty reasonable. This place had been here for years, and having no competition, it was often busy. A lot of people came and went, despite the small size of the building itself. It was decorated nicely, with a paisley wallpaper and potted flowers lining the entry way. The tables were all made of real wood, and he could tell they were old, but well taken care of.

 “This place is great!” Lance praised, “Look at this menu! It’s like twenty pages long!”

Shiro laughed. Lance always grossly exaggerated things, but he was right about the extensiveness of the menu.

“Get anything you guys want. It’s a special occasion, after all,” Shiro assured them.

               Lance scanned his menu zealously, and Shiro had skimmed it a bit. But he noticed Keith had just been staring at his menu blankly, practically hiding behind the large laminated piece of paper.

“You okay?” Shiro asked, looking to Keith in concern.

His words must have startled him, because he jumped at them.

“Y-Yeah. Fine.”

Shiro raised his eyebrows in suspicion.

“Okay then.”

A few minutes passed while they decided on what to get. Lance couldn’t decide for the life of him, stuck between a million different things. Shiro suggested that they just get a ton of appetizers, and share between them all.

“Yeah!” Lance agreed immediately. 

“Keith? That okay with you?”

Keith turned to look over his shoulder before looking at them again.

“Hm? Oh yeah, whatever.”

               Now Lance was picking up on his strange behavior, too.

“If you don’t want to share that’s totally fine, Keith. We won’t be offended. If you want something else go for it,” Lance assured him ecstatically.

Keith rushed to his feet abruptly.

“I’m gonna go to the restroom,” Keith said as rushed away from their table.

Lance and Shiro shared a confused glance.

“So do you want us to order for you!??” Lance yelled after him, but he was already long gone.

Lance sunk into his seat and sighed.

“What was that all about?”

Shiro shook his head, “I don’t know. Maybe I should go check on him—“

“No. I think it might just be the significance of this day for him. He might just want to be alone for a while,” Lance mused.

Shiro nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.

               He knew Keith never wanted to be mated. And though the three of them had grown a whole lot closer, he knew Keith still felt the same as before. He wanted freedom.

“I’m working on it,” Shiro mumbled under his breath.

When their server came to take their orders they just ordered a ton of appetizers. One of them was bound to strike Keith’s fancy, at least.

               The minutes passed with no signs of Keith. Shiro was beginning to worry, wondering if something had happened to him or he had decided to make a run for it. _No, he wouldn’t do that. He has Lance, he would never leave him behind._ Whatever the matter something wasn’t right. Keith had been on edge ever since they pulled in the parking lot. Maybe he didn’t like the restaurant? That didn’t make much sense either. Keith would eat anything put in front of him, and he never complained.

               “Lance?”

“Yeah?”

“Keith’s been gone for a long time now. Shouldn’t we go check on hi—“

Shiro’s speech was cut off by the sound of his text tone. Looking at the screen, his heart dropped.

“Shiro what’s wrong? Who is that? You’re so pale, what happened?”

Shiro pocketed his phone and stood urgently.

“It’s Keith. He just texted me.”

Lance took the phone to look at the message, his face turning just as grave as Shiro’s.

**Help**

Lance stood as well, readying to follow him.

“No. Lance you stay here. If he is in danger I don’t want to put you at risk too.”

Lance looked hurt.

“But Shiro—“

“I’m only going to say this once: Stay. Here.”

Lance eyed Shiro nervously before sitting back down in his seat.

He’d probably been too harsh with him, but when it came to everyone’s safety he had a duty to look after both of them. He knew nothing would happen out here in the open with a ton of witnesses, and he couldn’t risk putting Lance into a precarious situation.

“I’m going for Keith.”

a Promise: Keith

               “Aw, calling for your alpha?” the familiar and deep voice mocked.

Keith started, trying to find an escape route. Unfortunately the door was being blocked by someone he never wanted to see again.

“Oh, you think I didn’t noticed that mark on your neck?”

The man stepped closer, backing Keith into the bathroom wall.

“Looks like you got mated. Too bad, you only had one more running.”

Keith bristled.

“So where’s you alpha now, hm? He’s awfully irresponsible to let you run loose on such a long leash.”

Keith gripped his phone tightly.

_Please. Please Shiro._

“And I see you aren’t carrying any pups. How disappointed your alpha must be to put up with such an infertile slut.”

               Keith’s back hit the wall solidly, but the man just came closer and closer, invading his personal space.

“Aw, don’t remember me? I’ll bet you remember me here,” the man said, reaching around him to pinch his ass.

Finally he snapped.

“Fuck off, Rolo! Get away from me!”

He shoved the man back a couple of steps, but it didn’t seem to deter him in the least.

“How dare you talk to an alpha that way? Or do I need to teach you another lesson?”

Keith tried to keep a straight face. He tried to push the memories away. But despite himself, he found that he was crying anyway.

_“Rolo, Stop! Get away from me!”_

_The man pushed him down onto the mattress._

_“You know you want it, baby.”_

_“No! No, no, no no, please, Rolo, I can’t.”_

_Rolo chuckled, long and slow._

_“Of course you can, baby.”_

_Rolo draped his body over Keith’s._

_“You love me, right?”_

_He was too petrified to respond._

_“You want me to mate you, right? Then all you have to do is give me your virginity, Keith.”_

_Keith’s entire body shuddered as he closed his eyes tight._

_“That’s right. Good boy.”_

               Keith stared daggers into the man that stole his virginity. He stared at the man who used him, the one who whored him out to friends for fun, the one who claimed he loved him. He was going to be sick.

“Please,” Keith’s voice shook in fear, “Please stop.”

Just as Rolo placed a hand on Keith’s chest to pin him against the wall, the bathroom door whipped open. Keith never thought he would be so relieved to see the face of another alpha. A familiar alpha.

“Shiro!”

Shiro rushed forward, shoving Rolo off of Keith and across the room.

“Oh what a softie you’ve become, Keith, relying on your alpha to come and save you. Maybe if you’d been a good boy you wouldn’t be stuck mated to this _cripple,”_ Rolo spat out, gesturing to Shiro’s prosthetic arm.

               Keith watched as the expression on Shiro’s face changed. Shiro was angry. He was beyond angry; he was furious, practically seeing red.

“You. Get the fuck out of here and don’t you _ever_ come near him again,” Shiro spat back, shoving a finger into the man’s chest.

Rolo laughed.

“You think you scare me, _old man?_ An old cripple like you could never beat someone like me. How does it feel, old man? How does it feel to know that you mated such an impure _slut?”_

Shiro bared his teeth, his hands clenching into tight fists.

“Don’t you talk about him like that,” Shiro said through clenched teeth, “And I suggest you leave before I beat the living shit out of you.”

Rolo smirked, amused at the idea.

               Shiro turned to Keith now, who still stood with his back to the wall.

“Keith. Close your eyes.”

He didn’t hesitate. Even if he didn’t really like Shiro, he knew that he was a capable fighter and that he would protect him well. The sounds of blows landing echoed through the empty bathroom. A sharp crack followed by a murmuring of curse words on Rolo’s part let him know what was going on.

“WHAT THE HELL, YOU BASTARD?” Rolo’s voice.

The next thing he heard was a loud thump as someone’s head hit the floor. _Please. Please don’t be Shiro. Please!_

When it was silent for a moment he began to worry, but he couldn’t bring himself to open his eyes.

“Shiro?” he called out meekly, hoping to get a response so he knew he was okay.

“Keep your eyes closed, Keith. I’ll walk you out.”

He felt Shiro’s large hand grasp him by the shoulder and urge him forward. He took a few unsteady steps before his legs gave out from under him.

               “Keith! Keith are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

He couldn’t bring himself to form any coherent words. He wasn’t hurt physically, but for some reason he just couldn’t get his legs to move. He couldn’t help the sobs that escaped him as he sank to the floor.

“I’m gonna carry you out, okay? Keep your eyes closed.”

Shiro hoisted Keith into his arms, and despite himself he found himself clinging to the alpha’s solid form like an orphaned monkey, sobbing into the soft material of Shiro’s shirt. Only when he finally heard the door swing open did he dare to open his eyes and steal a glance. Rolo lay on the floor, blood oozing from his nose profusely; his arm clearly broken at a vastly unnatural angle. Keith stopped breathing for a second. _Is he… dead?_ The rise and fall of Rolo’s chest answered his question quickly.              

               As much as he hated Rolo, he didn’t want him dead. Well, he did want him dead, but _he_ wanted to be the one to do it. He couldn’t let Shiro take the fall for murder. It would tear Lance apart, and Keith couldn’t live with himself if he was the reason that Lance was unhappy. And somewhere, deep down, he didn’t want Shiro to suffer, either. Unable to look any longer, he clenched his eyes closed and buried his face into Shiro’s chest.

               He knew they would probably get weird looks from everyone when they walked into the dining hall, so he kept his vision obscured. He heard the loud gasp the second Lance spotted them. It probably looked really strange.

“Keith? Shiro? What happened? Are you guys okay? Ohmygod do I need to like call the police or something?”

Shiro’s feet stopped moving for a second while he regarded Lance.

“We’re leaving.”

Lance sounded conflicted.

“But Shiro, the food… it’s already here. We can’t leave without paying… Isn’t that considered stealing?”

Shiro sighed as he shifted Keith’s weight into one of his hands, digging in his pocket for his wallet.

“Lance, have the food boxed up and pay with this,” Shiro tossed him the wallet, “then meet us outside. Try to hurry.”

“Okay, I’ll hurry!” 

               When he felt the familiar leather seats of Shiro’s truck, he finally let go of Shiro. He couldn’t stop crying, but at this point he really didn’t care who saw. After what he had just been through, it was understandable. Even expected.

“Keith,” Shiro said softly, “it’s okay now. You can open your eyes.”

He did so reluctantly.  Shiro looked down at him sadly, with a look of complete worry plastered onto his features.

“Are you okay?”

Keith nodded slowly, still in a state of shock.

“We’re going home. Don’t worry.”

               Keith noticed the blood on Shiro’s hand. He hoped it was Rolo’s, that son of a bitch, but it looked too fresh.

“Shiro?” Keith cringed at the croak in his voice.  


“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

A Promise: Lance

               Lance’s stomach dropped the second he saw Shiro emerge from the bathroom—holding a clingy Keith. Shiro was covered in blood, whether it be his own or someone else’s he didn’t know. His first instinct was to panic, but Shiro gave off a reassuring air of confidence. He had been about to text them that the food had gotten there but given the nature of Keith’s vague message, he decided against it.

               He quickly flagged down a waitress, asking for the food to be boxed up immediately, handing her Shiro’s credit card. She gave him a strange look, but didn’t say anything about it. Once she came back, he booked it. He struggled to keep the food steady, but managed to run all the way out to the truck where Shiro was pacing back and forth. He slowed as he approached him, unsure of what to say or do.

               “Lance, thank goodness. Keith isn’t quite coherent right now, and I know he probably doesn’t want to talk to me. Maybe…” Shiro put a worried hand behind his head, “Maybe you could try and talk to him? I don’t know who that person in the bathroom was, but he looked absolutely terrified.”

Lance’s heart sank. Surely it couldn’t be…?

Handing Shiro the food he knocked on the truck window to get Keith’s attention. He remained slumped over in the leather seat, not even bothering to glance his way. Taking a deep breath, Lance opened the door anyway.

               “. . . Keith?”

Keith flinched at Lance’s voice, but turned to look his way nonetheless. His face was bright red, tears staining his cheeks. Lance crawled in beside him and closed the door to give them some privacy.

“Keith… I know you probably don’t want to talk about it, but I’m here. Whether it’s now or a year from now, I’ll be here.”

Keith didn’t respond, instead leaning over to lean on Lance. He rubbed Keith’s shoulder, not wanting to pry anything from him too soon. A few minutes passed this way, until finally Keith’s breathing evened out and he finally fell asleep.

“I’m so sorry, Keith,” Lance whispered.

               With Keith asleep Lance motioned for Shiro to get in the car. He looked reluctant, but Lance mimed through the window that Keith was asleep, and that was enough for Shiro to finally crawl in. The drive back to the district office was long, even though it was only a few minutes away. It seemed as if the seconds drug by, an awkward silence settling over the three of them. Luckily, Keith stayed asleep the entire way home, his head resting on Lance’s shoulder.

               Shiro carried Keith in and placed him in the bedroom. Closing the door quietly behind him, Shiro made his way to Lance who sat on the couch in the living room, staring at nothing. Shiro sat next to him, the two sitting in a mutual silence.

“I tried to get him to talk about it,” Lance said with a sigh, “but I think I have an idea as to what happened.”

Shiro perked up at Lance’s words, turning to him suddenly.

“What did happen? Who was that alpha in there?”

Lance fidgeted with his hands, unsure of how to explain things.

“Shiro, Keith shared something with me about his past. I have a feeling that these two events are related. But out of respect for Keith, I don’t want to share his story. I think that’s up to him.”

Shiro nodded slowly, “Just tell me one thing: did this guy ever hurt him?”

He wished he could tell Shiro, but he wasn’t about to betray Keith’s trust. Instead, he settled on a vague answer.

“I can’t tell you anything more, Shiro. Keith has to share that with you, if he wants.”

               Shiro leaned forward, covering his eyes with his hand.

“Keep an eye on him for me, Lance. I’ll take the couch tonight. I think Keith would like to wake up next to you.”

Lance eyed him a little strangely, but he nodded anyway. After the night they’d had, everyone was exhausted. Lance stood and kissed Shiro on the forehead before disappearing into the bedroom.

“I will, Shiro. I promise.”

               Once his eyes adjusted to the dark bedroom, he saw Keith sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Can’t sleep?” Lance tried, sitting on the other side of the mattress.

Keith shook his head.

“Can I come over there?”

A nod. Sitting next to him in silence like this should have felt awkward, but it really wasn’t.

“Keith,” Lance turned to face him directly, crossing his legs on the bed, “Are you okay? Like _really_ okay?”

Keith started to shake his head, slowing until he finally met eyes with Lance.

No words were exchanged as Keith slumped to lay on Lance’s lap. He stroked the other omega’s hair, content with jut this much.

               “It was him,” Keith whispered.

“I know.”

“I knew he worked there, but that was years ago. I thought he’d have been fired by now, but as soon as I walked in I saw him. He must have seen me too, so I tried to hide in the bathroom.”

Keith dry heaved, struggling to breathe.

“I’m so stupid.”

Lance slowed his hand, looking down at the slumped figure before him.

“You’re not stupid, Keith. You’re one of the smartest people I know! But you could have told me. I’m perfectly fine cooking at home and settling in to watch a movie. Wherever it is doesn’t matter, so long as we are all there.”

Keith sniffled, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.”

               Another few minutes passed before Keith spoke up again.

“When I saw him… I didn’t know what to do. I texted Shiro on instinct. I don’t know why.”

Lance smiled down at him, resuming his hand motions.

“I do.”

Keith craned his neck to look at Lance in confusion, brows furrowed.

“You called for Shiro because you knew he would come. You knew he would do anything and everything to protect you. Somewhere deep down, you know that. That’s why you called for him.”

Keith seemed to consider this for a moment.

“I- I guess you’re right. It’s just after everything that has happened, with all the alphas I’ve interacted with—I just can’t bring myself to trust him. I don’t hate him, really. I’m just afraid of getting too close.”

“Then why don’t you talk to him about it? He cares about you Keith. Hell, he’s worried sick right now. He wants to get close to you so badly, but he keeps himself away because you look like you want nothing to do with him, and he respects that. I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but I really think you should talk to him. Tell him what you told me, help him understand.”

               Keith sat up abruptly.

“I’m not ready,” Keith explained, “I’m just not ready yet.”

Lance smiled.

“That’s okay. I didn’t mean you had to do it now. But when you’re ready. Do it for me. Promise?”

Keith took Lance’s hand reluctantly.

“. . . Promise.”


	19. Jeopardy

Jeopardy: Keith

               Sleeping in an actual bed, especially next to another warm body, allowed him the deep sleep that he’d been missing. Lance had never let go of him during the night, the two of them always entangled with each other in some way shape or form. His neck ached, and his arm felt numb, but it was still the best sleep he’s ever had. Keith could hear movement in the main room. Shiro must be up and moving around by now. Lance, on the other hand… well he looked exhausted, still awkwardly splayed across the bed, snoring.

               He really was hungry. He never got to eat last night, and he had slept in to well after noon. His stomach contorted in dissatisfaction, urging him to fill the emptiness. Normally he’d have no problem walking right into the kitchen to help himself, but Shiro was out there. And he was someone that he’d rather not talk to at the moment.

               He was thankful for what Shiro had done for him. He wasn’t angry at him in any way, just not ready to face him yet. He was reminded of his promise to Lance. He was right, he did need to tell Shiro about his past a little bit, he at least owed him that much. But like he had said last night, he just wasn’t ready.

               He waited for Lance to wake up before he dared enter the kitchen. To his surprise, Shiro said nothing out of the ordinary, wishing them a good morning as always. He didn’t inquire about anymore, or press him for information like he had thought he would.

All he really got was a, “You okay?”

He nodded. That was it. He felt somewhat relieved that Shiro wasn’t pressing him to share anything more. And before he knew it, things had settled back in into their usual routine.

               Work the next day was the same as ever, silent and boring. After the whole Zarkon incident Keith didn’t dare talk to Lance at all, even though Lance tried. He couldn’t put Lance into that situation ever again. He swore it. There was only one immediately pressing issue demanding his attention: he had to pee. Like, _holy shit_ , did he have to _pee._ He’d always held it until they got home, but at this point he knew he wasn’t going to make it.

Lance went to the bathroom at least once a day, and the signal Shiro and him had devised was to simply tug on Shiro’s shirt. Which is exactly why Keith had never used the bathroom before. He had his limits, and he was not about to be reduced to a begging child every time he needed to use the restroom. Except now, he really needed to go. He fidgeted on his knees, trying to ignore the building pressure. He cursed himself silently for forgetting to go before they left the apartment.

_Fuck it._ Knowing he couldn’t hold it any longer, Keith reduced himself to tug on Shiro’s shirt gently. The alpha was preoccupied on the computer, immersed in whatever it is he was reading.

“Just a second, Lance,” Shiro started, but as soon as he glanced down and saw it wasn’t Lance, well, his expression immediately changed.

“Oh, Keith, sorry. Wasn’t paying attention. I assume you need to—“

Keith nodded to keep him from finishing the sentence. It was pretty obvious what he needed to do, and hearing it from Shiro would just embarrass him more.

“Right. I’ll walk you there.”

               Keith followed as Shiro stood from his chair, heading towards the bathroom. Lance had been instructed to stay put, and Shiro locked the office door to prevent a certain _someone_ from coming in to harass a certain omega.  When they finally reached their destination through the meandering hallways, Shiro stopped outside the door looking embarrassed.

“I’ll just, uh—wait here.”

He obviously wanted to give him some privacy. How considerate.

               While Lance had described the inside of the bathroom to him before, he had never seen it for himself. It was unremarkable really: urinals on the wall, a sign posted above reading “Alphas Only”, and then the standard set up of bathroom stalls. It was considered indecent for an omega to use a urinal, as he would be exposing himself or whatever. He’d never used one anyway, so he just beelined for the stalls.

               Finally he was able to sigh in relief. That is, until he heard the sound of the door opening and footsteps indicating he was no longer alone. His breath hitched in his throat; he really didn’t want to run into anyone in the bathroom ever again, especially considering what happened the last time. To his dismay, the person took the stall next to him. Looking at their shiny dress shoes, he knew that he was next to an alpha. Keith considered his options. He could just get up, wash his hands quickly, and leave, hoping the alpha wouldn’t come out before him. Or he could wait for the other to leave.

               He opted for the first option, hoping to book it out of there. But as he rushed to open the stall door, something fell from his jacket pocket. It made a distinct clatter as it fell to the floor, rolling, conveniently, into the adjacent stall. Without ever looking back, he ran. He tried to appear calm as he exited the bathroom, so as to not tip off Shiro. How could he tell him? Oh yeah, by the way I lost my suppressants and I think someone who works here might have found them?

               Being on suppressants was highly frowned upon, and it could get himself and Lance in trouble, but especially Shiro. He could be fired, even.

“ _Shit.”_

Shiro eyed him when he rounded the corner, but didn’t seem to be overly suspicious. He couldn’t tell him. He couldn’t live with himself if _he_ was the one that ruined this entire plan and in turn put Shiro and Lance into a dangerous situation.

               “Ready?”

Keith nodded. He’d have to deal with the consequences himself. The suppressants should ward off his heat for at least another few weeks, but he knew hell was coming. The first heat off of suppressants was always an intense one, and if it was anything like the first one he’d experienced, it’d be rough. He _could_ tell Shiro that he’d simply run out, or lost them, or something of the sort. But Shiro knew him better than that; he knew how dedicated Keith was to keeping to the schedule, never once missing a dose. Telling him or asking for more would only alarm him. He couldn’t tell him.

               Keith grew pale as he kneeled on the floor back in the office. Lance eyed him curiously, but managed to keep his mouth shut. _I’m sorry, Lance. I’m sorry, Shiro, Allura, the omegan population. I’m sorry that I may have single-handedly ruined any chance at a revolution._

Jeopardy: Shiro

               Shiro could hardly even focus on the work he was doing. His thoughts kept wandering back to the vague words Lance had said, about how Keith had a troubled past and the person he had beat up in the bathroom the other day had some history with him. His anxiety grew even worse when he found that Keith, _not_ Lance, had asked to be escorted to the restroom. Which, on its own, was nothing out of the ordinary. That is until Sendak enters the same bathroom.

               He debated with himself about going in, but figured that it would only make things worse. He knew how Keith was around alphas, and having two of them in the same room at the same time so shortly after everything had happened probably wasn’t a good idea. He took a deep breath. Keith was a grown man. He could handle himself. When Keith finally exited, he looked pale as a ghost. He thought nothing of it, Keith was probably just shaken up that he had had company in the bathroom. He was relieved that otherwise, he seemed normal.

               A few days later Lance went back into heat. Luckily this time it had fallen on a weekend, and Shiro would be able to take care of him if ever need be. He’d thought he was pretty good at reeling in his sexual urges, especially when Lance went into heat. It was difficult to stay away sometimes, but luckily for him Lance was usually clingy during his heats, so he didn’t have to stay away for long. But all of his self-control flew out the window the second he walked in the door and found Lance, completely nude except for one of Shiro’s dress shirts, sprawled out on the couch writhing.

               _Well, Fuck._ Lance must have smelled him when he walked in, turning to greet him with a sleepy smile.

“Is that my shirt?”

Lance paled.

“S-sorry Shiro. C-couldn’t help it. The smell—“Lance paused to inhale the scent deeply, “Am- am I in trouble?”

Shiro smiled wryly.

“Big trouble.”

The confusion in Lance’s eyes vanished as he was forcibly flung over Shiro’s shoulder and carried into the bedroom. Surely he had figured out his “punishment” already.

               Shiro threw Lance onto the bed, undressing himself in a hurry. Lance watched with big doe-eyes, following his body’s every move. Lance’s scent quickly filled the entire room, rendering Shiro dizzy with lust. Without wasting any time he flipped Lance onto his stomach, pulling his hips up towards him. He stared at his mate intently, slick running down his dark thighs and hole twitching in anticipation. He wanted it. He wanted it so bad.

               Shiro leaned over Lance to open the bedside drawer, fishing around until he found what he wanted. Lance whimpered as he tore open the condom wrapper with his teeth, sheathing himself quickly. Shiro growled into Lance’s ear as he mounted him, reveling in the soft mewls escaping the omega beneath him. Sympathetic to Lance’s condition, he started out with slow, shallow thrusts into him.

“Sh-Shiro!”

Encouraged by the omega’s reaction, he grabbed Lance by the hips and pulled them back, fully sheathing himself inside. Lance cried out beautifully, tightening around his hard length. He thrusted into him fast and hard, pulling the omega’s hips back every time he tried to scoot forward.

“Stop trying to pull away. This is a punishment, baby. You’re gonna take me nice and deep,” Shiro commanded.

Lance whined submissively, pressing his face into the mattress to muffle his voice.

               Shiro took this time to nuzzle Lance’s neck, licking sweetly over their bond mark.

“Ah!”

He didn’t slow his hips when Lance came, fucking him through his orgasm and leaving him limp and panting beneath him.

 “We’re not done, baby,” Shiro scolded, lifting Lance’s hips as the omega panted heavily.

“S-Sensitive. Sh-Shiro. _Fuck!”_

“You sensitive, baby?” he asked, pounding into him earnestly as he reached a hand down to stroke Lance’s cock.

“Mmph!” Lance moaned into his clenched fist, drowning in the sensation.

               With each stroke of his hand Lance grew tighter, squeezing around him and fidgeting wildly, trying to escape Shiro’s hand. No matter where Lance moved, Shiro’s hand followed. After a while the omega seemed to have given up, pushing back on Shiro wantonly.

“Good boy,” Shiro cooed, earning an earnest moan from Lance as his entrance twitched around him.

“You like that?” Shiro teased, “You like being praised for being a good boy?”

Lance could do nothing but nod furiously as he desperately grasped at the sheets beneath him.

“You want your reward, Lance?”

“P-please!”

Lance cried out as Shiro slammed his knot home, forcing the omega open obscenely as he came for the second time. Lance lifted his hips in an attempt to take him deeper, but Shiro silenced his movements with a bite to Lance’s neck, commanding him to stay still. Lance complied, sinking into the bed submissively while he was pumped full.

               Shiro licked their bond mark as he filled the condom, the two locked together in desperate ecstasy. When they had finally finished about twenty minutes later, Shiro pulled Lance on top of him and kissed him reassuringly. Lance purred into Shiro’s mouth, content and satiated.

“I love you, Lance,” Shiro assured, “even when you steal my clothes.”

Lance giggled, nuzzling his face into the crook of Shiro’s neck.

“I’ll take that as an ‘I love you, too’ “.

Jeopardy: Lance

               When Lance finally woke up, his entire body groaned in protest. Shiro and he had gone at it all night—not that he minded—but it took a toll on his body. When he moved to get up out of bed, his knees just about buckled; forcing him to reach for the dresser for support. Shiro had been different last night. It was almost as if he was more… primal, if you will. Every time they had sex Shiro had made it a point to be cautious and gentle, but last night was anything but. It was neat to see another side of his alpha, one that he had never seen or experienced before. The change in pace excited him.

               But the aftermath of having aggressively passionate sex all night long certainly slowed him down. He didn’t want to worry Shiro (lest he discourage this rather… interesting new side of him) so he put on his brave face and gritted his teeth through it all. Luckily for him he pulled it off, and no one suspected a thing (probably).

               Everything had pretty much settled into a comfortable routine after that. On weekdays they would all go to work, Shiro would come home and shower while Lance cooked. On weekends they went grocery shopping and did other little errands, spending Saturday night curled up on the couch watching movies while Keith sat in the nest. Shiro always either cooked or ordered take-out on the weekends, which gave Lance a nice break. Keith had tried to help cook a few times, but it almost always ended in disaster, so Lance took on the responsibility. He tried, at least.

               All in all everything was starting to become normal. He still missed their remote cabin away from everything else, but Shiro assured him that Hunk and Pidge were taking care of the place while they were away. Truth be told he missed the social interaction with them both, but he knew this arrangement wouldn’t last forever. While Zarkon and Shiro met more and more frequently, Shiro and Allura met less and less. With so many eyes on the three of them it was sometimes hard to get away to report progress, so they’d agreed only to meet when absolutely necessary. But just when they’d finally settled into a routine, (or at least he thought) Keith started getting more and more distant.

               He’d gotten used to his fellow omega’s frequent mood swings, but he’d learned by now that Keith avoided talking when there was something on his mind. While Keith’s first instinct was to pull away, Lance’s had always been the opposite. He vowed that he would find out whatever the hell was going on, even if Keith insisted upon hiding it. Keith had been through too much to bear the burden all by himself. Surely he knew that he had allies, now.

               But this time was different. Any time Lance tried to start a conversation Keith would just shut down. He’d stopped talking at the dinner table, instead staring vacantly into the distance as if mulling something over in his mind. Their cuddle sessions had all but stopped. At work the two of them never messed around anymore, which sucked because it was a fun way to pass the time. He’d thought they’d grown closer, but now he was having his doubts. So instead he hatched a plan.

               Shiro was out meeting with Allura, sharing something or other that was important. That left him and Keith alone. It was the perfect opportunity to corner him. Normally he wouldn’t want to just confront him up front, but seeing as all of his other attempts had failed… he didn’t know what else to do. When the two of them found themselves alone in the living room, Lance spoke up.

“Hey Keith.”

“Hm?”

“Do you not like me anymore?”

Keith stopped to stare at him incredulously.

“What the hell made you think that?”

Lance looked down at the hands in his lap, mulling the words over in his head.

“Well… You don’t talk to me anymore. And we don’t cuddle like we used to. And ever since that one time we haven’t even made out once.”

Keith blushed bright red, “Is that all it is? You just wanted to make out with me?”

Lance rolled his eyes.

“Well no. I mean, yes—I want to make out with you, but that’s not why I’m worried. You just seem distant lately. I thought that maybe something was on your mind. Like I said, I’m always here to listen.”

               Keith looked at him guiltily.

“I fucked up, Lance.”

That caught his attention real quick.

“Why? What happened? Surely it can’t be that ba—“

“I lost my suppressants.”

“Well then just go get new ones? What’s the big deal?”

Keith stood to start pacing the room.

“It was in the company bathroom. Someone saw them.”

               Lance paled. Suppressants inside the district office was a big no-no.

“Do you know for sure if someone saw?”

Keith nodded.

“They rolled right into the stall next to me. The stall someone was sitting in.”

Lance tried to calm his breathing.

“Do they know they’re yours?”

“I ran out before anyone could see. It’s not like my name is on the bottle. They’re over the counter.”

“Did you tell Shiro?”

Keith stopped in his tracks, looking into Lance’s eyes seriously.

               “Don’t you dare tell.”

“You mean you _didn’t_ tell him?!!”

“HOW COULD I? Oh yeah, Shiro, I just so happened to have single handedly jeopardize not only our safety but this entire plan!”

Keith was right about the whole safety thing, but this is still something that Shiro should know about.

“If we are in danger then he has every right to know. Better to be prepared than struck dumb.”

Keith didn’t answer.

“How long?”

Keith tilted his head.

“How long what?”

“How long ago did this happen?”

“Three weeks.”

“THREE WEEKS ago? Dammit Keith! You need to tell us these things!” Lance yelled, plopping down onto the couch angrily.

               If three weeks had passed and nothing had happened, than maybe they were over reacting for nothing. If they were going to go interrogate the office or what not wouldn’t they have done so already? Maybe the person who found them didn’t turn them in?

               A knock on the door silenced them both instantly. Shiro was gone, they weren’t supposed to open the door.

“Open up.” Sendak’s voice.

“We need to have a talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun DUN DUN


	20. Ultimatums

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is short, and I apologize in advance. I've had family in town all week and finding time to write has been difficult. Nevertheless, here's a little something to tide you all over.

Ultimatums: Shiro

“How much longer, Allura? I don’t know how longer we can keep this up.”

Allura sighed, twirling a loose strand of hair around her finger.

“I don’t know, Shiro. I really wish I could tell you a concrete answer—but it really depends. I’m working on getting a militia large enough to make the attack. I’m getting there, but I’m going to need more time. In the meantime, we need all the info we can get.”

He wasn’t going to lie, he was getting seriously frustrated. He’d been able to tell Allura Zarkon’s _exact_ routine, down to the minute. He’d hand drawn her a map of the entire property—including where Zarkon usually resided and all possible escape routes that he knew of. He wasn’t sure what other information she could possibly need.

               “Allura.” Shiro folded his arms across his chest, “What more could you possibly need? You know I want to help you. And the cause, too—But I don’t know how much longer we can do this. Ever since we got there we’ve had nothing but issues, and I can tell it’s really taking a toll on Lance and Keith.”

He conveniently left out the encounter at the restaurant, still unsure as to what exactly happened himself. He hated guilt tripping Allura, who already had so much pressure resting on her shoulders, but he had to think of his family first. He knew going into this that it was going to be hard on all of them, but he hadn’t expected the toll it would take on Lance. Keith was strong; he made it through anything and everything thrown at him. Lance was strong too, but he could see him starting to falter. Lance was largely moved by emotions, which had run high as of late.

               Come to think of it, even Keith has been acting differently. While the three of them had undeniably grown closer, Keith had stopped talking lately. Even to Lance, which was surprising. He never was much of a chatterbox, but he hadn’t heard this level of quiet from Keith since the early days when he first brought them home. He’d hate to see all the progress they’d made regress, even if it was for a worthy cause.

               “I’m sorry, Shiro.” She paused. “Right now it’s just a waiting game. You’ve given us a lot of important Intel, and for that I’d like to thank you. But for now there’s nothing left to do but wait. I’ll contact you when I get the militia together. Until then, keep an eye on Zarkon’s routine and notify me of any changes. Hopefully the next time we meet we will be discussing battle plans.”

Allura smiled sadly.

“I know how hard it is to work in the district office. But I don’t know what it’s like to have a family there, too. This whole experience has been trying, but we have to keep the end goal in mind. If we can pull this off—omegas will be free. Lance and Keith can do whatever their hearts desire, with no one to tell them no. Just—just hang in there. I’m going to make sure this ends in our favor.”

               Shiro trusted her. He knew she was right. But it was getting to be that time of year again and tensions were high.

“Allura.”

She turned her head to look Shiro in the eyes sadly.

“The running is going to be soon.”

Allura shook her head.

“I know.”

Shiro stood to leave, throwing the words over his shoulder.

“Let’s end this for good.”

               On the way home the last thing Shiro had expected to receive was a text from Lance saying that Sendak was knocking on their door. He had just finished meeting with Allura, and was at least a half-hour away from their place. He cursed at himself for being so careless, sending a text message back.

**Don’t answer it.**

He knew that goes without saying, but at this point he wasn’t sure what else to tell them. Within seconds he received a response back.

**He’s yelling through the door.**

Followed by another soon after.

**He smells us. Shiro he isn’t going away what do we do?!!**

               Being this far away, there was nothing more he could do. He could try to call Sendak, but that would clue him in to the fact that Shiro wasn’t there in the house with his omegas, which would be another problem altogether.

“What in the world could he want?” Shiro muttered, trying to figure out a reasonable explanation for the visit.

Shiro grimaced. He hated asking the two to do this, but it looked like there would be no other choice.

**Ok, answer it. Stall until I get there. Don’t let him know I’m out of the house. I’ll be there as fast as I can.**

This time he got a response from Keith.

**Are you fucking kidding me!??? After all Sendak has done to Lance—to us—no way in hell we are letting him in!**

Keith was right. Alone, the two would be utterly defenseless. And Sendak didn’t seem to care that the two omegas were mated; he still made advances often. Shiro had had to ward him off on many occasions. Except now he couldn’t be there.

He sent back a response to Lance, knowing that Lance could talk Keith into anything.

**I’m sorry—let him in. If anything gets suspicious or he does anything at all to threaten either of you, call me. I’m speeding my way home now.**

               About a minute passed before Lance texted him back, but the words sent a shiver down his spine.

**I’m scared.**

That was fucking it. Looking around for any law enforcement, Shiro laid his foot down heavy on the accelerator. If he took the highway back and sped like a madman, he could maybe make it there in 15 minutes.

“Hang in there, guys. I’m coming.”

Ultimatums: Keith

               Shiro was a goddamn idiot. How could he tell them to let _Sendak,_ of all people, into the house while he was gone? It was just asking for trouble. He saw the way Sendak looked at them. He stalked them both like a predator, sizing up his prey.

“Shiro said to let him in,” Lance whispered to him.

The two of them crouched behind the counter in hiding, hearts racing wildly.

“Open up. It’s important!” Sendak yelled through the door.

“We can’t keep him waiting any longer. Keith—we have to do what Shiro sa—“

Keith’s entire body tensed, his fists clenching tightly at his sides.

“Well Shiro is wrong. Don’t be an idiot, Lance. Don’t let him in.”

               Lance seemed to be considering his words, but he could tell by the look in his eye that he was going to do what Shiro said. He’d do whatever Shiro said, no matter what. _Make me dinner._ Lance would do it. _Have sex with me._ Lance would do it. _Jump off a bridge,_ Lance would do it. Keith slammed his fist into the wall, knowing very well that he was going to have to be the one to keep them safe.

“I’m sorry, Keith.”

Lance stood up from their crouched position, calling back to Sendak.

“Just a second!”

               And then the bastard was in their house. On their couch. Sitting with a smug look on his face; like he had something on them that they could never even begin to comprehend.

“Where’s your alpha?” Sendak immediately questioned, sniffing at the air experimentally.

Lance hesitated _. Goddammit, Lance. Do I have to do this all by myself?_

“Shiro went for a run. He should be back shortly,” Keith offered, hoping the man would buy it.

Sendak nodded.

“I see. Rather ballsy to leave two omegas behind alone. But I guess it gives us a good opportunity to get to know each other a little better.”

Sendak pulled something from his pocket, and Keith instantly paled.

               “You see, I happened to have found these while I was in the bathroom,” Sendak turned to stare down Keith, “And I thought you would want them back.”

“Wh-What makes you think those belong to us?”

Sendak smirked, looking amused.

“Well now that you mention it, I do seem to recall that you’ve never been in heat at the office. A little suspicious, don’t you think?”

Keith swallowed thickly, feeling as if he was being cornered.

“I’m just a late bloomer. I haven’t presented yet.”

It was kind of true. He had been a late bloomer, after all. Sendak leaned forward, getting far too close.

“Keith Kogane, 21, tracked down and deliberately targeted by one of the country’s best hunters, hasn’t presented yet.”

Sendak stood.

“Do you really expect me to believe that? As if any self-respecting alpha would want to mate an infertile omega,” Sendak accused. “We both know who these pills belong to. And unless you want Zarkon to find out about it, you’re going to do a little something for me.”

               He couldn’t breathe. It would all be his fault. Everything they had, everything they had worked for… spiraling down the drain right in front of him. _No_. He’d fix this.

Keith gritted his teeth, forcing the words from his lips, “And what might that be?”

“Keith, no!” Lance yelled, grabbing his arm protectively.

He shook Lance off, daring to stare down the man in their living room.

“It seems that recently there has been an increase among omegas resisting the running. Organized groups practicing evasion techniques, survival techniques, and the like.  I know you made it through two runnings. So you’re going to tell me everything you’ve learned—how you hid, how you learned to fight and somehow evade capture—so I can ensure that it never happens again.”

               His throat ran dry. He couldn’t share all of his secrets? Sure, no omega had ever been as good at evasion as him, but he sure as hell didn’t want to sell anyone down the river if it meant they had a fighting chance.

“Oh, and since you are such a celebrity among this group of omegas, I want you to make a little PSA. Tell them how glad you are to have mated and why you were stupid enough to think otherwise. You help me nip this little “omegan revolution” in the bud, and I’ll keep our little secret.”

               _Omegan revolution._ Surely he couldn’t know about their plans…? But what else could he do? If Zarkon found out about the suppressants, he wouldn’t be the only one in trouble. For once in his life, he had to think about more than just himself. He had to think about, Keith cringed at the thought, about his _family_.

A long moment of silence engulfed the room, only to be shattered by three little words.

“I’ll do it.”

“KEITH, NO!!!”

Sendak’s features twisted into something resembling a smile, but more vile and evil.

“Good choice. Come with me. It seems we have a lot to talk about.”

Ultimatums: Lance

**HE TOOK KEITH. SHIRO HE TOOK HIM!**

Lance could hardly type the words, his vision obscured by his own tears. Not even moments later his phone started to ring.

“Hello?”

“Lance—Lance what happened? Why did Sendak take Keith? Where did they go? Are you alright?”

Shiro sounded just as panicked as Lance felt.

“Come home, Shiro. Please, please just come home,” Lance sobbed, clutching the phone in a death grip.

“I’m almost there, Lance. I’m coming home. Wait for me at the door. It won’t be much longer.”

Lance struggled to breathe as the line went dead.

               True to his word, Shiro arrived not even five minutes later. Lance tackled him at the door, not even trying to control his sobs.

“Lance. Lance, it’s okay. Tell me what happened. We’ll get Keith back.”

He could tell Shiro was trying to reassure him, but no amount of words could fill the emptiness in his chest.

“S-Sendak. K-kidnapped,” he struggled to make coherent sentences, failing miserably.

“Lance,” Shiro lowered his voice, “I know you’re upset. But I can’t understand you when you’re crying. Just tell me what happened and we will go get Keith. What’s this about a kidnapping?”

How in the world could Shiro remain so calm? He looked like he always did, stoic and unmoving, as if he wasn’t the least bit saddened by the news at all. He almost called him out on it. How could you just let something like this happen and stay so calm? What if it were me? Would you be making the same face for me?

But the hitch in Shiro’s breath, the dilation of his pupils, the slight tremor of his hands… they said otherwise. Shiro was just trying to calm him down. He may not outwardly show much emotion, but he definitely felt it. Shiro was hiding his worries behind a stoic exterior; he was trying to be strong. Trying to be a leader when he was needed the most.

“Lance?”

Shiro’s voice shook him from his reverie. Right. He needed to tell Shiro what happened. But in order to that, he’d have to tell Shiro the reason Sendak came over here. Keith had told him not to say anything to Shiro, but surely now it’d be fine? What other choice did he have?

               After a few deep breaths, he was finally able to center himself enough to tell the story.

“Sendak found Keith’s suppressants. He came to blackmail us because of it. I told him not to go—“ his voice broke, “but he said that he wanted to fix this, that it was his fault. So he went with him. He followed Sendak out of the house to who-knows-where. I tried to stop him, Shiro I did! It’s all my fault. I should have—“

Shiro pulled him tight into his arms, embracing him warmly.

“It’s not your fault. It’s not Keith’s fault. It’s mine. I never should have left you two alone. You said he lost his suppressants? He went with Sendak willingly? I don’t get why Keith didn’t even _say_ something… But none of that matters right now. Let’s go get back our Keith.”

               Lance smiled at Shiro’s use of the phrase _our Keith._ He really had become _their_ Keith. Despite all odds, the person he was sure he would hate the most became one of his best friends. He became someone he _loved._ A sudden invigorating strength filled his body with determination at the realization. Keith was a part of the family; and they’d do whatever it takes to get him back.

“Let’s go get Keith.”


	21. Lost and Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off I want to thank everyone for both their patience and all of the comments I received. I didn't respond to most of them but I did read every single one, so thank you. I appreciate all the love and support you gave during my rough patch! I am now recovering well and as a gift to you: a new chapter. Enjoy~~ Yaoikazowie

Lost and Found: Keith

               He’d followed Sendak to a secluded room somewhere in the labyrinth of offices, and truth be told he had no idea where he was. The room was surrounded with cameras and lights, and he suspected other recording equipment as well. The room was dimly lit, a bunch of static TV screens in front of him.

“The hell is this place?” Keith questioned, looking around suspiciously.

“Doesn’t matter. You promised me something, so let’s get to it.”

Keith sighed, leaning against the desk behind him.

“Alright, whatever. Get on with it.”

               Sendak sauntered over to him, grabbing his chin and forcing them to meet eyes.

“That’s enough with the smart mouth. Know your place,” Sendak took a step back, “First things first. I want you to tell me everything. How did you make it through two runnings?”

Keith rolled his eyes.

“You know, it’s not all that hard. Your so called “omega schools” may attempt to brainwash the entire population, but they always forget one thing: there’s always outside sources. Books, podcasts, online forums. They’re stock full of information if you know where to look.”

Sendak narrowed his yellow eyes at him, crossing his arms across his chest.

“And just how were you able to access those things? They are strictly forbidden.”

               “You’re kidding right?” Keith scoffed, “Computers are only too easy to hack. Books are traded on the black market. Having “rules” won’t protect you. Because while rules are made to be followed, they are also made to be broken.”

The large man frowned, but motioned for him to continue.

“And all this brainwashing an omega into thinking they must be “soft” and “obedient”… We all know it’s just a way to keep us weak. Make us easier to catch, or in your words _easier to handle._ You may have video surveillance around everywhere, but there are always blind spots. They can’t stop me from working out, building strength, climbing trees. Those are all skills you need to make it out there.”

               Sendak stood in hollow silence, as if taking in every word he said. He really _shouldn’t_ be sharing these things, especially if it ruined the other’s chances of escaping the running… But if all went to plan, the running would soon be a thing of the past. It was that idea that eased his conscious, but only a little.

“I see,” Sendak cocked his head to the side. “But I know that’s not everything. I want the secrets.”

Keith cringed. He’d already given up so much information, he was hoping Sendak would be pleased with that much at least. Of course there was more… he’d spent his entire time at school studying maps of the running area, finding out how to disguise his scent, witling his own weapons…

“You want to know the real truth? Keith blurted out suddenly, “Alphas are all so damn cocky. They stick their noses to the ground and track down whatever they’re looking for. But they never look _up._ It’s true a majority of the omega population wouldn’t be physically able to climb up a tree as tall as those. But if you’re fit enough… it offers both a vantage point and a hiding spot. Most of the time they’ll pass right underneath you, or circle the tree for hours trying to follow the scent. But they never look _up._ Cocky bastards.”

               Sendak nodded slowly, expression unchanged.

“That’s all well and good, but it’s not new information. Several alphas have been found dead, which is a normal occurrence when fighting for the opportunity to mate. But the rules are quite strict. No weapons, must be hand to hand combat. Yet there were some mysterious bodies recovered with stab wounds. Care to elaborate?”

“All is fair in war.”

“Are you admitting to stabbing someone?”

“I’m not admitting anything. I’m just saying it’s a form of defense. And if it comes from the forest, it’s not really a weapon, now is it?”

               He could tell Sendak had caught his drift, but he didn’t press him for any more.

“One last question.”

Keith smirked.

“Shoot.”

“We know you hide your scent,” Keith paled, “And you are going to tell me how.”

Fuck. He was hoping to avoid this question altogether.

“Mud.”

“Mud?”

“Mud,” he reiterated.

Sendak slammed his hands down on the desk loudly, startling Keith.

“Mud will not hide the scent of a heat. The running occurs in the month that has been determined as the most fertile of the year. In other words, when most omegas are in estrus. Yet you seemed to have escaped twice.”

               _These fucking snobs. They set them up! Omegas in heat were easy targets, and that’s exactly what they wanted! How in the fuck was that fair?_

“Guess I was just lucky,” Keith tried.

A hard shove sent Keith hurdling to the ground. Sendak stood above him threateningly, a foot resting on top of his ribcage.

“We both know that’s a lie. How’d you get heat suppressants?”

Sendak put more weight onto the foot crushing him.

“I- I didn’t have any!” Keith huffed.

Even more weight; his ribs were being crushed. He couldn’t breathe. Oh, God, he couldn’t breathe.

“I didn’t get my heat until the third running! It was my first one,” he managed to out with a wheeze.

               The pressure on his chest dissipated.

“So you were just a late bloomer. How humiliating,” Sendak mocked, kicking Keith onto his side.

“Get up. You’re going to make a PSA now. Smile pretty for the cameras.”

               True to his word, Sendak let him go after that. But something nagging at his chest told him not to go home. He wasn’t stupid enough to try to run away. He’d tried before, and it never worked. Plus, he could never bring himself to leave Lance. Even Shiro, he supposed. They were doing so much to try to fix this broken mess that they called a society. He just didn’t think he would be able to face them for a while after this. It’s not like he betrayed them directly. But he still felt guilty, for some reason.          

               Instead of going home he wandered the streets. Since it was still day time, they were pretty busy, and he felt safe that he wouldn’t be attacked with so many witnesses around. He got some odd looks from people, especially since he was on his own, but he ignored them all. His mind was too busy being preoccupied with other things.

               After a few hours he was beginning to get a little light headed. He opted to rest outside a quaint coffee shop, where it wasn’t very busy but wasn’t vacant, either. But as time passed his head only seemed to get worse. He was starting to sweat profusely now, too.

“What the hell? Am I dehydrated or something?”

He stood wobbly, but as soon as he felt that familiar wetness he knew what was happening.

“Shit.”

               His heat. The first heat after coming off of suppressants, supposedly a really powerful one. He needed to get out of here, get away from all the alphas… but then again, what if he went home? Shiro was an alpha, too. Shiro mated Lance every time he went into heat. He hadn’t with Keith, but then again the only time he had been in heat around Shiro had been almost a year ago, when he had first been dragged into that cabin against his will. Maybe now that things have settled, Shiro will try to…? Not worth risking it. He had to hide somewhere, and he had to do it fast. He’ll just wait it out.         


Lost and Found: Shiro

               Shiro regretted a lot of things in life: going to college, becoming a hunter, _torturing himself for mating not **one** but **two** omegas. _Well not really that last one. But what he did regret was being a dumbass and leaving his two precious family members at home. Alone.

“I’m such an idiot,” Shiro mumbled.

“What?” Lance turned in the seat of the truck to face him.

“Nothing. Let’s find Keith.”

               It had been a total of 6 hours since Keith had gone missing. They’d both called, texted, borderline _harassed_ Keith’s phone, with no luck. If worse came to worse he could go to the police and ask to track the GPS in his phone; but neither of them really wanted to get the police involved. It might start some sort of rumor around the office. The last thing they needed right now was any more unwanted attention.

“We’ve been here already,” Lance whined, face pressed against the passenger window.

Shiro had his window rolled down, hoping to pick up on a scent.

“I know, Lance. We have to remember that he’s on foot. He _has_ to be in town somewhere.”

               Lance pouted his lips, not bothering to argue.

“What if—“

“What if what, Lance? It’s probably not best to be playing worst case scenarios in your head right now.”

“I know, I know. But hear me out—what if Keith is still with Sendak?”

Lance had a point, but it was an idea he’d rather not even consider.

“You know Keith. He wouldn’t put up with someone like that for long. He had to have escaped, or left.”

Lance settled his gaze in his lap solemnly.

“I’m just saying, _what if._ ”

While Lance certainly had a point, there wasn’t much else they could do but search. He could call Sendak, but seeing as he works for Zarkon, accusing someone of high status for kidnapping an omega probably wouldn’t go over too well. Plus the feeling in his gut told him that Keith was out here somewhere. They just had to keep looking.

               They drove together in silence for what felt like an eternity, every street and alleyway turning up empty. They’d probably circled the city three times by now, but still no sign of Keith. The air was beginning to cool down for the night, a chill beginning to set in. Shiro turned the heaters on to make up for the open window, but he wasn’t sure how long Keith could stay out in this. If the temperature dropped any further, he’d be at risk of hypothermia. Sighing, Shiro pulled into a parking spot outside the shopping center and turned off the truck.

               “What are you doing!?? We can’t give up yet! Keith is still out there, I know it!” Lance yelled as he clung onto Shiro’s arm.

“Relax, we’re not giving up. It’s getting cold, so maybe it’d be wise to start checking indoors. I can’t imagine Keith shivering out in this cold if he didn’t have to be.”

Shiro watched Lance’s cheeks redden, obviously embarrassed for his earlier outburst.

“Don’t worry,” Shiro placed a reassuring arm around Lance’s shoulders, “We’ll find him.”

That perked him right up.

“Of course we will! Just who do you think _I_ am?!!”

“Right, Lance,” he went along with it.

               They searched the grocery stores. The mall. The fast food joints. They were very quickly running out of places to search. Their hopes grew as they entered each new building, and fell as soon as they walked out. But just as they were walking into the pharmacy, Shiro’s phone began to ring.

They both froze.

“Answer it, Shiro! Who is it? Is it Keith?”

Shiro scrambled to retrieve his phone from his pocket, flipping it over to look at the caller ID. His face fell.

“What wrong? Who is it? Shiro?”

Taking a deep breath, he answered the phone.

“Allura? Now isn’t the best time.”

               Lance’s excitement drained from his features when he realized who it was. Or rather, who it _wasn’t._

“Tomorrow,” Allura spoke with finality.

“Tomorrow what? Look I really can’t talk right now Keith is missing and we need to find him and—“

Allura interrupted a second time.

“Tomorrow. We discuss everything tomorrow. The time is near, the district office is distracted with the running.”

Shiro’s temper flared. How could she completely disregard what he is saying? After all he had done for her? Did she not give a damn about him and his family? Was he just being used? Shiro had priorities. And yeah, the coup was high up on his list. But Keith was number one.

“So meet me tomorrow and we—“

“Allura.”

Shiro’s voice was cold and deep, conveying his annoyance.

“Nothing happens until we find Keith. I’ve done a lot for you, but you have to understand that my family comes first. Always.”

 

               Allura made a sound of confusion.

“Wait… Keith is missing?”

Shiro took a deep breath to calm himself.

“Yes, Keith is missing. That’s literally the first thing I said to you.”

Allura stayed silent on the other line, guilty perhaps.

“I’m sorry, Shiro. I was just so excited about everything finally coming together and—never mind that. What happened to Keith? He’s the pale one, right?”

He couldn’t blame Allura for her bluntness. She herself had never mated, busying herself with things much bigger than that. She had an eye detail, but only in the big picture. Sometimes the little things, like individuals, didn’t always stick with her.

“Yes, the pale one with the black hair. _Keith._ Lance and I have been searching for hours with no signs of him.”

               “Luckily for you, you happen to have a friend like me,” Allura laughed, “What’s his cell number? I can ping his phone.”

He’d forgotten that Allura had such capabilities. Now he felt stupid, having wasted so much time emptily searching when he could have just made a single call. A few minutes passed before Allura was able to pinpoint a location.

“Found him. Now follow my directions.”

Lost and Found: Lance

               “Drive faster!” Lance urged, growing more and more impatient by the second.

They knew where Keith was, finally. He could hardly contain himself.

“Lance I have to drive the speed limit. We don’t want to get pulled over, it’ll take even longer then.”

“Then hurry up _and_ go the speed limit!”

Shiro shook his head and sighed.

“Right, Lance.”

               He knew he was being unreasonable. But he didn’t care. He hadn’t eaten or slept in hours, hell he’d hardly even breathed while they were looking for Keith. It’d been hours since Keith had left with Sendak. Lance was beginning to feel lonely. I mean, yeah, he had Shiro. But Shiro wasn’t Keith. He needed them both, funny enough.

               Lance took a sidelong glance of Shiro. Earlier tonight he had looked worried, a crease forming between his brows. If he looked hard enough, he could see the tension in Shiro’s shoulders. Not too many things worried Shiro, but Keith’s absence had. His features had since relaxed, probably because they had a destination. They pulled up outside of a hotel. Their hotel. The one they had stayed at before.

“I don’t understand. We’ve already been here? We asked the front desk if they had seen anyone; they said they hadn’t!”

Lance wasted no time barreling out of the vehicle, searching the air for any familiar smells.

“Shiro,” Lance called hesitantly.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Let me find him. He’s… He’s in heat, I can smell him. I think it would be better if I went alo—“

“Just go, Lance. He’ll be happier to see your face than mine.”

               Lance could see the hurt in Shiro’s eyes, but he didn’t stick around long enough to smooth things over. He’d hooked onto Keith’s scent, and gosh darn it he was going to find that idiot. His nose led him through the lobby and onto the second floor. Each floor had a number of rooms, and all were relatively small. He hoped he would be able to find the right one.

               He narrowed it down to two rooms. Keith was in one of them, but as to which one he didn’t know. Too frustrated to wait any longer, he found himself knocking on the door of the one to the left.

“Keith? Keith are you in there?”

An older couple came to the door.

“Oh, sorry. I must have the wrong room,” Lance apologized, sending the couple a remorseful smile.

Well at least now he knew what room he was in. He knocked on the door to the right, hoping all of the noise he made earlier hadn’t scared Keith off. After a minute passed with no response, Lance cursed.

“We can play it that way, Keith. Fine.”

Lance gathered up all of his strength to kick in the door, but as soon as his foot hit the wood the door swung open, the lock on it broken. He face planted into the carpet, but the smell confirmed his suspicions: Keith was here. And he was. Well, sort of.

               Keith lay on the bed, his pants long gone and a frantic hand moving between his legs.

“Keith?”

Of course he walked in on this. Keith paused for a second as he noticed Lance, but then he was clenching his eyes shut again, continuing. Well hello to you too, Keith.

“Keith snap out of it! We need to get home. Do you know how worried we were? We searched everywhere!”

Keith responded with a grunt. Okay that’s fucking it.

Lance grabbed both of Keith’s wrists, jumping up on the bed and pinning his body beneath him. Keith writhed underneath him, fighting to get his hands back. He tried to ignore the fact that he was, well… naked.

“Earth to Keith,” Lance started, “What are you doing here? I mean… I guess it’s obvious _what_ you’re doing but _why?_ How?”

               “Get off me.”

“Then answer me.”

Keith turned his head away to hide the tears streaming down his face.

“Isn’t it obvious!?? I went into heat, okay? I panicked. Broke in here. I was going to come back!”

Lance frowned down at the omega pinned beneath him.

“Are you an _idiot?_ We were worried about you! You didn’t answer your phone, Shiro and I spent hours looking for you! We thought you’d been hurt! Why in the hell didn’t you just tell us? Why not just wait it out at _home?_ Where you’re _safe?_ ”

Keith’s scent began to get to him. Should it do that? They _are_ both omegas, that doesn’t make any sense… But it was. The sweet honey smell was putting his brain into a fog, his vision tunneling. Keith smelled… good. Like, really good.

               “I was scared.”

Lance regained his wits at the words.

“What?” Lance asked, releasing Keith’s wrists from his death grip.

“I was scared! Unlike you I don’t have a lot of experience with heats. My suppressants wore off and now I feel like I’m on fire and it won’t go away and I thought that Shiro might—that someone might—“

Lance understood now. He guessed he didn’t set the best example; he always bred with Shiro on his heats. Keith probably thought that now, too.

“Do you really think Shiro would take advantage of you like that?”

A blush rose to Keith’s cheeks as he shook his head confusedly.

“I don’t know. Some alphas can’t control themselves around an omega in heat.”

“But Shiro has. Remember?”

“This one is stronger.”

“So?” Lance pressed.

               “So maybe it would be too much. I mean we are sort of… closer, now. Maybe now he wouldn’t have any inhibitions or—“

Lance slid off of the boy, choosing to sit next to him instead.

“You know Shiro wouldn’t try anything. He’s not the typical alpha—he really cares about you, Keith. I can tell. I’ve never seen him look so scared until today, when you went missing. Shiro would protect you with his life. I would too, you know.”

Keith lay silent for a while, avoiding looking at Lance in the eye.

“Besides,” Lance added, “Shiro isn’t the one you should be worried about. Shiro has good self-control. _I,_ on the other hand…”

               A pair of eyes whipped around to meet his own.

“You mean…?”

Lance’s cheeks warmed, embarrassed.

“Let’s go home. I can, uh… help you there.”

Keith smirked.

“Promise?”


	22. A Long Shower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter took longer than usual, but seeing as it is one of the most important, I just had to get it right. Only a few more chapters to go!

A Long Shower: Keith

               Skip the awkward car ride home. Skip Shiro’s flared nostrils, the wide-eyed stare as they drove home. Shiro knew. Keith could tell he knew; it was written all over his face. But, just as Lance said, he never made any advances.

“Shiro, you have the couch tonight! We’re stealing the bedroom!” Lance yelled as he gripped Keith’s arm and pulled him forward.

“Lance! Don’t be so forward!” Keith scolded under his breath, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

“ _What_? It’s not like he doesn’t already know what we’ll be doing,” Lance mumbled.

Shiro just made a grunt of acknowledgement as he followed the two inside, turning to lock the front door while the two omegas disappeared into the bedroom.

               Keith wasn’t sure if that was supposed to be an ‘okay’ or an expression of irritation, but Lance didn’t give him much time to think, dragging him through the bedroom door without a hint of hesitation. And then Lance’s lips were on his, his arms pressing him up against the closed door, effectively trapping him there.

               Except he didn’t feel trapped. He didn’t fight him off, he didn’t want to. Every instinct in his body was telling him to fight back, establish dominance. He remembered his mantra: _No one is dominant over me. I am not bound by society’s rules._ Yet here he was, willingly surrendering his mouth to the tan one above him. Lance was different, an exception, per se. This was a quivering desire that the two of them shared; a desire not bound by gender or societal expectations, just one forged between two people in the throes of love.

               Keith wasn’t sure where this was going. Wasn’t sure how this was going to work. All he knew was that Lance was currently pressed up against him, and that it just felt _right_. Keith had had sex before. Never in heat, but he had nonetheless. But he’d never mated with someone he loved before. Not to sound cliché, but he realized that there truly _was_ a difference between having sex and making love. One was purely instinctual, nothing special about it. But the other… the other could be so much more. Maybe that’s why Lance and Shiro did it so often.

He was going to make love. With Lance. And the prospect of it had him shivering, but whether with nervous apprehension or anticipation, he didn’t know. All thoughts stopped when a pair of cold hands slid up his shirt. The initial touch was shocking, making him flinch, but as Lance’s hands warmed up to match his temperature, it started to feel good. The hands were tentative, never venturing too fast or too slow, nor exploring anywhere too adventurous.

“Lance…” Keith managed to mumble.

“What? Should I stop? No good?”

Keith chuckled.

“No, no… I’m just… I guess I don’t know how this is going to work. Between us, I mean.”

               Lance cocked his head at him, squinting slightly.

“What do you mean, ‘between us’ ?”

He could hardly bring himself to say it.

“Sex, Lance. I don’t know how this goes. I’ve never been with another omega before.”

Lance’s face fell a little, and Keith worried that he might have said something wrong. There was a moment of silence between the two before Lance’s voice meekly rang out.

“Do you not want to be with another omega? I mean, I know this is kind of strange and all, and maybe you don’t even really like me or—“

“Lance, Stop! That’s not what I meant… I meant like, physically. I don’t know how this works, and it makes me a little nervous. But I know that however it goes, I want it to be with you,” Keith craned his neck to look up into Lance’s sparkling eyes, hoping to ease his uncertainties. 

               Lance smiled down at him, closing the distance between their mouths once more, this time trying a little tongue, testing the waters. Lance turned his attention from his lips to his neck, where he began to bite softly, nipping at the sensitive skin. Normally he would have been self-conscious about the mating mark that had been left there, but not with Lance. In fact his attentions made the area tingle, adrenaline rushing through his body.

               “This works one of two ways,” Lance whispered into his ear, “Either I ride you into oblivion--”

Keith _liked_ that idea.

“—Or I make love to you, slowly, passionately. Whatever way you want, you tell me.”

While both invitations sounded inviting, he couldn’t ignore the emptiness he felt inside. His heat made him needy, filled him with a want to be full.  But he wasn’t about to say that. He had pride, after all.  Luckily for him, his body answered for him.

“You’re so wet,” Lance cooed, palming his ass and finding the material soaked.

Keith pressed back into the touch, a small groan escaping his lips.

“I guess that answers that question,” Lance laughed, reaching down to pick him up and carry him to bed.

               The sudden change of location startled him at first, but he relaxed as soon as a familiar weight settled across his hips, pinning him there. It might have been the heat of the moment, or maybe he was just going crazy, but he found himself arching into Lance, grinding himself up into his hips.

“Fuck,” Lance cursed, “You’ll be the death of me yet.”

With nimble fingers Lance stripped him of his sweaty shirt, and within seconds he lay bare before him.

“Th-That’s not fair,” Keith grumbled, “You too…”

               He didn’t have to ask twice, Lance soon joining him in his stage of undress. Lance was lanky, but he still had broad shoulders and a muscular build. He was also a tad taller, which irked Keith to no end, but what caught his attention most was the hardness between his legs. Lance was an omega, and by no means was he “large” in size, but he was a respectable length. Keith looked down to compare, finding Lance to be bigger than him in that area, too.

               “Open sesame,” Lance said, grabbing Keith by the ankles and opening his legs.

“Really?” Keith couldn’t help but laugh, Lance echoing him.

Being so exposed was both nerve wracking and exhilarating. In his previous experiences there had been little to no foreplay, and he didn’t have time to even realize that he was so open and vulnerable like this. But with Lance taking it slow, and it being, well _Lance,_ he found himself suddenly embarrassed. Lance knelt between his legs just staring at him, as if taking a mental inventory of his body. Keith couldn’t help but cover his face with his arm, looking away awkwardly. He could feel the slick leaking from his entrance, dampening the sheets on the bed.

               “Look at me.”

Keith peeked out from behind his arm, still not confident enough to look Lance in the eye. Lance helped him out, prying his hands away from his face and forcing him to make eye contact.

“Let me see those beautiful eyes, don’t hide from me.”

Lance’s words made him blush all the way up to his ears.

“Just say the word, and I’ll stop.”

A Long Shower: Lance

               He could tell Keith was embarrassed, but he didn’t appear apprehensive. He was red from head to toe, a deep blush settling over his entire body. He was undeniably attractive, with narrow hips and a small frame; pale skin and a chiseled torso. He smelled sweet; an intoxicating aroma that was growing stronger and stronger by the minute. No longer able to wait, Lance inserted two fingers to stretch him out.

               It wasn’t all that hard, what with him being in heat and all, but he did it anyways, not wanting to hurt him. Lance had never done anything like this before, always having been at the receiving end of things, but that gave him an advantage, too. He mimicked what he did to himself, what felt good to him, and Keith definitely appreciated the attention.

               But the omega beneath him was growing impatient. Keith’s hips rocked with his fingers, urging them as deep as they could reach. Sensing his irritation, Lance decided to tease him a bit, curling his fingers until Keith cried out, gripping his arms tightly.

“F-Fuck. Just do it already, Lance,” Keith’s voice was both needy and annoyed, but he never loosened his grip on Lance’s arms.

“So impatient,” Lance chuckled.

               The slide into him was easy, Keith’s body eager to accept the intrusion. He was no alpha, but sex was sex, and it had the both of them writhing in ecstasy. He started with a gentle rock of his hips, imitating what Shiro had always done with him. As that became more comfortable he increased his pace until he was fully thrusting into him, Keith’s inner walls squeezing tightly around him and drawing him in. Being on the giving side of sex was exciting. Now he understood why alphas were so hormonal; watching an omega practically melt beneath you and squirm with pleasure surely was a pleasant experience.

               “L-Lance,” Keith’s breathy moans echoed from off the walls, “Gonna—“

Keith didn’t have to finish the sentence, as Lance understood. He began pistoning his hips at a rapid pace, reaching down between them to stroke Keith’s hardness as they fucked.

“Shit,” Keith whimpered, body tightening around Lance’s length.

They both met their climaxes eagerly, Lance pumping Keith full and Keith milking him for all he was worth. Spent, Lance collapsed atop of Keith’s warm body. They stayed this way for a few minutes, both trying to catch their breath. Finally Lance rolled off of the omega squished beneath him, turning to give Keith a kiss on the cheek.

               “Lance?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

  * \- -



When morning came it felt as if he had been hit by a truck. Needless to say neither of them got much sleep the night before, but Lance wasn’t one to complain. Keith lay dead to the world beside him, cutely drooling onto the sheets. It’d probably been a long time since Keith had actually slept on a bed, actually had someone _care_ for him… That being said, Lance didn’t have the heart to wake him. (But he did have the heart to take a picture of him and set it as his wallpaper, but don’t tell Keith that).

Emerging from the bedroom, Lance found the house mysteriously empty. He checked all the rooms, but Shiro was nowhere to be found.

“Shit,” Lance whispered to himself, “I didn’t offend him yesterday, did I?”

Not wanting to even ponder the answer to that question, Lance made a beeline for the front door. Relief spread over him as he found Shiro’s slumped figure sitting in a chair, clearly dozing. The sound of the door opening must have awakened him, Shiro blinking away the remnants of sleep before recognizing Lance.

“Lance?” Shiro rubbed his eyes, “What are you doing out here?”

“I should be asking you that question,” Lance retorted.

Shiro shifted in his seat a bit, a light red rising to his cheeks.

“Uh,” Shiro was fumbling, “It was just so nice outside and—“

Lance snorted.

“Uh huh. Cut the bull, Shiro. You couldn’t handle it, could you?”

               Shiro pressed his lips together silently, dropping his gaze to his feet.

“It’s not like I couldn’t handle it. I just… didn’t want to make a decision I’d regret, so I separated myself from the situation.”

Lance smiled at Shiro’s embarrassment. Sometimes Lance forgot that Shiro was an alpha, with biological needs and urges, since he controlled them so well. Having your two mates going at it in the other room, one of them in heat… well, If Lance was an alpha he’d have probably jumped right in. But that wasn’t Shiro; he was ever a gentleman.

“Come on inside. Keith is still asleep, but I can tell the heat is pretty much over.”

“I don’t want to interrupt anything you two have going on—“

“Shiro.” Lance glared at him, “Come inside and eat. You’ll catch your death out here.”

               It took some coercing, but eventually Lance convinced him to come inside. He could tell that Shiro was still on edge, hyper aware of both of the omegas presence, but the only outward signs he showed was the dilation of his pupils. After they had eaten their fill, they both settled themselves on the couch, the TV on a low volume so as to not wake the sleeping Keith in the adjacent room.

               Shiro had left an unusual distance between the two of them on the couch, leading Lance into thinking all sorts of negative what-if situations.

“Shiro,” Lance scooted closer to the tense alpha, “You know that I still love you, right?”

Shiro coughed, obviously surprised by the direction Lance had shifted conversation.

“Of course, Lance. Why would I ever doubt that?”

Lance leaned his head on his alpha’s shoulder, grabbing his arm possessively.

“I just want you to know.”

               No more words were exchanged after that, but Lance could sense a feeling of relief radiating off of Shiro, who now had no qualms about closing the distance between them.

“Besides,” Lance continued, “This just means I’ll get to make it up to you later.”

If Shiro had ears and a tail, they would have instantly perked up, like a dog excited for a walk.

“You don’t have anything to make up for, Lance. Keith needed you; he needed someone other than me to help him through. You gave him that.”

Lance cringed at Shiro’s choice of words.

“Other than me?” Lance pulled away to look at Shiro closely, “Is that really what you think Keith thinks of you?”

               Shiro was clearly uncomfortable, but Lance couldn’t bring himself to let it go.

“I’m not really sure what to think. There are times where it seems like he is warming up to me, and others where he clearly keeps his distance. At this point I figure I’m just a nuisance that houses and clothes him, I suppose.”

The thought brought tears to his eyes.

“You two really need to talk,” Lance said, turning his head to the bedroom door to speak to the omega clearly listening in.

He stared straight at Keith.

“Because I really don’t think that’s true.”

A Long Shower: Shiro

               Shiro’s heart dropped when he saw what Lance was looking at. Or rather, _who_ Lance was looking at. He hadn’t meant to hurt anyone’s feelings; in fact he was unsure why he was being so honest with Lance about this whole thing. Lance put so much trust in him, but he never put any trust back. Regardless of what had been his motivation for saying anything, there was clearly now an elephant in the room.

“I’m going to go take a shower,” Lance said, obviously trying to give the two some space, “A reeealllly long shower.”

               _Thanks, Lance._ After the door to the bathroom had shut and the sound of running water could be heard, the room grew uncomfortably quiet. Keith hadn’t moved from the doorway, and Shiro hadn’t moved from the couch. He was unsure of what to do. He didn’t know how much Keith had heard, but he knew that it had been enough. Whatever the case, this talk had been long overdue.

“Keith, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were there.”

Wonderful start, self.

“I’m glad you didn’t,” Keith said awkwardly, making no move to leave the doorway.

               “Please. Please come talk to me. I don’t want this hovering above us forever,” Shiro offered, making a move to get up.

To his surprise, Keith beat him to it, sitting opposite him on the couch, arms folded across his chest defensively.

“I don’t hate you,” Keith started, “Though I very well should.”

“Keith, I—“

“But I don’t love you either.”

Shiro fell silent. He hadn’t been expecting an answer so honest.

“But I guess I should say that it isn’t your fault.”

Shiro blinked back surprise.

“What do you mean? Of course it’s my fault. I knew what you wanted, but…” Shiro let his voice trail off, unsure how to finish the thought.

               “Not that. I mean, the reason I don’t love you has nothing to do with _you_ , yourself. I’ve just… I’ve just had some bad experiences, okay?”

Shiro bit his tongue. He didn’t want to force anything out of Keith, but if he was willing to share, well…. Shiro was dying to know.

“You don’t have to tell me about it,” Shiro said, “I just want you to know that I’m not them.”

It was Keith’s turn to look surprised.

“You knew?”

Shiro fumbled with his hands, carefully choosing his words.

“Not specifics, no. But I see the way you look at alphas. I see the way you look at me,” he could hardly continue, “Just know that even if you don’t love me, I do love you. And because of that, I’d never do anything to hurt you.”

               “You don’t love me.”

Shiro started, searching Keith’s face for any hint of joking.

“There’s no reason you would.”

For some reason he found himself getting angry.

“There’s plenty of reasons, actually. I love how brave you are. You always put on a strong face no matter the difficulty, and put others before yourself. I love your tenacity. You never give up, no matter what life throws at you. I love your broken edges, the ones that I’ve only seen glimpses of, but somehow they still manage to stab me in the chest.”

“Shiro, stop—“

“I love your honesty. I love that you treat Lance well, and put up with his hysterics. I love your selflessness; how willing you are to hurt yourself to save others.  I love your spirit, which never fades or dies no matter what. I love your sensitivity. Even if I don’t understand the reasons, it pains me to see you hurting.”

               He was prepared to go on, but stopped when he noticed tears streaming down Keith’s face.

 “Stop,” Keith whimpered, “Please, stop.”

Shiro fell silent, heeding Keith’s wishes.

“I just—I just can’t love you. I’m damaged goods; I’m not worthy of your words.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Shiro stood, “It’s because you have persevered through everything that you are worthy of these words.”

He took a few tentative steps towards Keith’s slumped figure, hesitating to reach out. His conscious was telling him to bite the bullet, but the consequences of doing so…

               Shiro pushed away the bad thoughts, scooping Keith into his arms and hugging him close. Keith’s entire body went rigid, but he didn’t pull away, instead crying onto Shiro’s shoulder. They sat that way for a while, Shiro clutching Keith close to his chest and Keith sniffling into the wetness of Shiro’s shirt.

“I don’t deserve you,” Keith whispered, “I’m not the pure person you think I am.”

Shiro hugged him tighter.

“Then tell me. Tell me who you really are.”

And Keith did. He shared his past, his reasons for being afraid of alphas, afraid of commitment. He shared his fears regarding mating, the panic he felt when knotted; trapped in the arms of someone he didn’t love. He shared his love for Lance, how thankful he was to have met him. And he shared his hesitant love for Shiro, even though he was scared.

               “No matter what,” Shiro said, “I will never force you into anything. And what happened to you doesn’t make you any less valuable as a person. You don’t have to love me, and that’s okay. Just know that I’ll always love you, and I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.”

“I- I do. I do have to love you,” Keith said, voice barely above a whisper, “Because I don’t know how not to.”

Shiro was startled by the opening of the bathroom door.

“Oops,” Lance said as he eyed the two huddled together, “I think I forgot to wash my hair.”

Shiro and Keith laughed as the door closed.

“Let’s teach those alphas a lesson,” Shiro smiled, “Let’s put an end to the running.”


	23. Execution (Of a Plan)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I blame season 3. It's totally not late.

Phase One: Keith

               Today was the day of The Running. Keith cringed at the thought of being forced to go back to that awful forest once more, but it had to be done. Everyone was relying on him. Allura had assembled a large enough militia to make the first strike, and hoped that would be all it took. Lance, Hunk, and Pidge were going to lead the militia. It was Keith’s job to hijack the busses.

               Allura explained the plan as follows:

  1. Keith causes a distraction by hijacking the omega busses, drawing much of the district office staff out of hiding.
  2. Lance, with the help of Hunk and Pidge, was to use the militia to form a perimeter around the district office, ensuring Zarkon could not escape.
  3. Shiro and Allura infiltrate the district office, and shut it down.



               While the plan was good in theory, there were a lot of variables that could go wrong. And, Keith noticed, what would happen if the plan _was_ successful? The chaos and confusion may lead to a free for all; someone needed to take charge. And while Allura had planned to do just that… Well, what if no one wants to listen to her? Despite his misgivings about the plan, he went with it anyway. They had been waiting an entire year for this, hiding right under Zarkon’s nose the entire time. He was sick of it, to be honest. He was ready to finish things once and for all.

               But he was going to need help. Keith wasn’t exactly well-liked, and after Sendak’s public service announcement, there weren’t too many people that were happy with him right now. For the face of the revolution to concede defeat… Well, it didn’t send the greatest message. He planned to sneak onto the busses pretending to be just another omega. After all, who would be looking that closely? He knew how to blend in, that’s for sure.

But with his current appearance being so well known, he’d have to disguise himself. The decision was made (against his will, might he add) to cut his long, signature hair. Shiro had helped him this morning, mimicking the same undercut Shiro himself wore. It felt strange for all of his hair to be gone, but _no one_ would recognize him now. Allura had covered his mating bite with makeup. And Lance had cried that Keith’s ‘Stupid, beautiful mullet’ was gone.

“It’s just hair, Lance,” he had assured, “It’ll grow back.”

Lance didn’t seem to be convinced.

               All of this lead up to this moment, now, huddled together like cattle waiting to be boarded onto the omega busses. No one paid him any mind. The alphas patrolling the area didn’t notice him, and the omegas, not recognizing him, stayed away. The wait was long. He had done this three times before, and couldn’t believe that he was voluntarily doing this again. Flashbacks of the crowded busses filled with cowering omegas made him sick to his stomach. It was no different now. While the faces were different, the atmosphere and fear remained the same. The same numbered t-shirts. The same sullen faces. The same feeling of defeat. The Running had become routine; the alphas managing the entire event like a well-oiled machine. Too bad some parts were about to come loose. Keith smiled. _You bastards have no idea how lucky you are about to be._

               The early morning was cold. If you could even consider this morning; more like O’dark-thirty. The sun had yet to rise, it was winter, and the only clothes omegas were permitted to wear were thin, white T-shirts. Needless to say everybody huddled together for warmth. You didn’t care who you were pressed up next to; you were just trying to keep your fingers from falling off. Keith tried to use this to his advantage. It would be nearly impossible to take down the driver by himself. He had no weapons; they were thoroughly checked before being allowed onto the busses. He was also small. Eyeing the large bus drivers made it a bit unnerving. They did it on purpose. They found the scariest looking people to drive the busses to keep everyone in line. No one in their right mind would even consider messing with one of them.

               Except with their numbers, they totally could. But no one seemed to realize it. He had to find someone tough enough (and maybe dumb enough) to help him. He had been scanning the crowd all morning, but no one in particular had caught his eye. He needed someone a bit more, _abrasive,_ than the average omega.

“Fuck off!”

Keith’s gaze was drawn to his right.

“Get your filthy hands off me!”

He searched for the origin of the voice, but with so many people talking, it was hard to discern one from the other. Suddenly an alpha fell down, and the area filled with little cheers.

“Bingo.”

               He was tall, and markedly older than the rest of them. He was definitely omega, given that he was wearing a similar white shirt as the rest of them. His head was shaved close, but the lack of hair only seemed to add to his tough-guy aura. He wasn’t the typical omega, that’s for sure. He had to get closer.

               So began the process of shifting between bodies to make it to the outskirts of the crowd. People were none too happy to be disturbed from their places, but he didn’t give a shit. It took longer than he would have liked, but finally he made it to the way edge. Keith waited for things to settle down before he dared approach.

“That was ballsy,” Keith addressed the man casually.

“What’s it to you?”

His voice was deep; there was no doubt that he was well beyond the age of the rest of them.

“I just admire tenacity.”

The man simply shrugged him off.

               They stood ignoring each other for a few minutes before Keith tried his hand at conversation again.

“Hey.”

The man rolled his eyes, “What?”

“No offense, dude, but aren’t you like, a little old to be here?”

The tall man scowled.

“I’m not from here.”

Keith looked at him questioningly.

“Nosy, aren’t you kid? I’m a prisoner of war.”

               He had to blink back his surprise.

“You mean you’ve seen the outside?”

The man laughed.

“Seen it? I lived it, kid.”

Keith offered his hand.

“I’m Keith.”

The man returned the gesture, “Ulaz.”

_ _ _

               Keith wasn’t good with people. Never had been, probably never would be. But some innate feeling led him to trust this guy. If he was a prisoner of war, then he was probably on their side. He was also physically fit and somewhat intimidating, which could prove to be advantageous. So when the opportunity presented itself, he sat next to him on the bus. Not that anyone else would have; they seemed to give this guy a wide berth.

               He waited until they were a ways away from civilization, ensuring that the bus drivers would have a great distance to walk before they could call for help. As the time drew near, he nudged Ulaz in the side.

“I’m gonna hijack the bus. You in?”

Now the rational thing to do in this situation would be to immediately refuse, but Ulaz was of a different kind.

“You kidding? Of course I’m in.”

Keith wasn’t arguing with this guy’s blatant lack of self-preservation.

               He got all sorts of weird stares when he stood. Even more when he began walking down the aisle towards the front seat.

“Hey! You! Sit back down!” The bus driver had noticed him.

Then Ulaz stood, following the same path Keith had taken. Keith shot him a sidelong glance, the two exchanging a nod. Between the two of them, unseating the driver was easy. All it took was a sharp tug and he came tumbling out. Ulaz kept the man pinned down with his foot; and at this point everyone had started screaming. Keith took the wheel. He fumbled around looking for the intercom before making an announcement.

               “Attention passengers: we will be taking a bit of a detour, so please remain seated,” confused murmurs filled the air, “Oh, and if you here any gunfire, I’d recommend getting down.”

“Was that really necessary?” Ulaz shot him an unamused glance.

“Totally,” Keith said, opening the doors.

The man put up a fight, but being pinned on the ground as he was, there was not much else he could do but heavily roll out the door in what must have been one of the most painful instances of road rash ever incurred. Keith fished his phone out of his pocket awkwardly, tossing it to Ulaz.

“Speed dial 2. Tell them it’s a go.”

With that Keith laid his foot on the accelerator and let fly.

“Come catch us, bitches.”

Phase Two: Lance

               “Pidge, Hunk! We got the signal from Keith. Once this place clears out be prepared to form a perimeter!”

“Roger!” Hunk yelled, jogging over to hide behind the bushes with his section of the militia.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Pidge grumbled.

               The militia consisted of a wide variety of people. There were alphas from out of district, omegas both from out of district and inside the district, and even a few betas that came to support the cause. The ragtag group didn’t look like much, but what they lacked in skill they made up for in numbers. Between all of them it would be easy to form an impenetrable perimeter to keep both people out—and certain individuals in. 

               Shiro, Allura, and a select team of skilled individuals were poised on the other side of the building, near a rear entrance, where they waited for the right opportunity to slip inside. Each was heavily armed, and each had a degree of familiarity with the layout of the building. Allura had found the best of the best—throughout all of the districts—to make up the tactical team. They’d certainly be a force to be reckoned with.

               It didn’t take long for news of the bus hijacking to reach the district office. Almost immediately people emerged from the building like bees in a hive, ready to strike. They laid low. It took only 15 minutes or so for the place to empty out. A few guards remained on post, of course, but their man power was certainly down. Lance couldn’t help but cringe at the idea that they were going to be going after Keith. Keith was strong, and smart, but a bullet is fast and in the right hands, deadly.

               He shook his head to clear the negative thoughts. This coup was bigger than any one individual. This was monumental, a revolution that would forever shake the ages. No matter what happens, they needed to take down Zarkon and his elite staff. With them out of the way, Allura would be perfectly poised to take control. 

               “I don’t see any more people coming out,” Lance whispered through the radio, “Should we start moving in?”

Allura gave them the okay to get moving. Leading a large group of people was strangely… exciting. All his life Lance had been the one to be ignored, looked down upon. But with these people… They looked to him for guidance. Some even looked up to him. Who would have thought! But he couldn’t let it get to his head. They had a mission to accomplish; he could revel in the new world later.

               The district office was surrounded by dense brush, which gave them cover as they moved in closer. The idea was to give the appearance that there was only a small tactical team, the perimeter hiding in the dense foliage as a backup measure. Best case scenario they had to do nothing more than stand their ground. Worst case scenario would be Zarkon escaping or somehow breaking the lines. But Lance didn’t think about the what-ifs. He had to be quick on his feet if they were going to make this work.

               Once he and his group got close enough to the building, he had everyone spread out. Hand signals had become his friend: he motioned for everyone to move out, leaving a person every 20 feet or so to ensure no gaps. Hunk and Pidge had done the same, and soon the entire place was secretly surrounded.

“They’re surrounded,” Lance whispered into the radio, “Tactical team clear.”

“Roger.”

Phase 3: Shiro

               The fact that they had made it this far was a good sign. He hadn’t heard any news of the hijacked busses, so he assumed the chase was still on. Lance and the others had formed a perimeter around the property without being seen. The rest was left to him. Well, specifically Allura, himself, and the three others Allura had brought for backup.

               “The district office has three branches,” Allura started to explain, “So we need to clear the area of all hostiles before we make contact with the target.”

“Geez Allura. Why do you sound like a navy seal?”

Allura furrowed her brows at him, unamused.

“We don’t split up. Our safety is in numbers. The more eyes the better. We need to quickly and effectively clear the sectors _silently._ We don’t want to alert Zarkon to anything. We need to keep the element of surprise.”

The group nodded in agreement.

               “When I give the signal, Shiro is going to let us in the rear door. Take no prisoners.”

Shiro’s heart thudded in his chest. It took all this time. All of this preparation. A whole lot of hurt, stress, long nights. And it all led to this: to this moment, where they would either make history or die trying. He was nervous. He wasn’t afraid to admit it. But all he had to do was think of Lance and Keith, the future they could have if he went through with this. He wasn’t going to let them down.

               His eyes were drawn to the right when Allura gave the signal to move in. _Now or never._ 100 yards to the door. Two guards on post. They inched closer slowly, giving Allura a clear shot. The guards never knew what hit them. Two bullets fired, quick in succession, and both were down. The others exchanged surprised glances between each other. Apparently Allura was a sniper. Good to know.

               They all booked it across the empty yard leading to the door. Here they were the most open, and they wanted to minimize the time spent out in the open. The rear door required nothing more than an ID scan. While his presence at this time might be a little bizarre, he hoped it wouldn’t warrant any suspicion. He’d been in work after hours before; working late or forgetting something on his desk. The green light and subsequent click of the lock granted them entrance. It took a few moments for their eyes to adjust to the darker lighting.

               At this hour the floor was mostly empty, a majority of employees already having left for the day. They cleared the floor in a matter of minutes, finding no hostiles in any of the sectors. Which Shiro had to admit was suspicious. Even at night, this place usually had one or two people moving around. Sure, a lot of people had left to aid in the capture of the hijacked busses, but for no one else to be here…

               He found his answer as they approached Zarkon’s quarters. Apparently protocol stated that in the event of an emergency, Zarkon’s quarters be heavily guarded. And guarded it was. There must have been ten guards traversing the hallways, each armed with an assault rifle carried lazily over their shoulder. _Big mistake._ If they rushed in quickly enough, they may be able to beat them to the draw. Before they rounded the corner, Allura brought them all in for instruction.

“You three take the guards. We will need cover to make it through the doors, where hopefully we can catch Zarkon by surprise. Got it?”

               Everyone nodded.

“Go!”

Everything went fast. Shiro hardly had enough time to process what was going on. Guards were falling left and right, and he cleared a path to the door for Allura and himself. With a hard kick the doors flew open…

But the room appeared empty. The lights were off, the “throne” sat vacant. They guarded each other’s backs as they searched the room.

_Shit. He has to be here. He has to be! Why would the guards be guarding an empty room?_ Unless… Maybe he knew they were here.

               Shiro’s suspicions were confirmed when the doors they had entered through slammed shut behind them.

“Looking for someone?”

Shiro froze at the sound of Zarkon’s voice. _How could he possibly know? Had they failed to kill someone? Where was their element of surprise?_ The tip of a gun made contact with the back of his head.

“Weapons down, or I’ll shoot.”

Shiro and Allura exchanged worried glances. With tears in his eyes, Shiro nodded. _He can shoot me. Allura, don’t give up your weapon. Take the shot, please. Take the shot._

Shiro threw his gun to the floor, kicking it away gently. Allura made the move to do the same, but all at once she fired. With no time to aim, her shot was messy. But somehow, through the grace of God, she was able to fire a clean shot right through his hand. But Zarkon was quick too. A searing pain radiated through his shoulder as he fired. It hurt like hell, and he struggled to stay awake.

               “I’m impressed, Allura. Willing to kill your own, I see.”

Allura scoffed, “It’s over, Zarkon. Surrender or I will shoot.”

“Likewise,” Zarkon said arrogantly, the pistol back up against Shiro’s head.

Shiro was losing consciousness fast.

“Do it, Allura. Please, just do it,” Shiro begged, accepting his fate.

Even the stoic Allura faltered for a second, her eyes making contact with his. They expressed the deepest sorrow, but Shiro knew that it was for the best. This district was bigger than him. Just as Allura took aim, another shot rang out. Shiro waited for the pain, the death… but nothing came. Emboldened, he looked behind him, where a shocked Zarkon had fallen to his knees. But Allura hadn’t taken the shot, she had only finished it with another shot to the head.

               As soon as Allura was sure Zarkon was dead she rushed to Shiro’s side.

“Shiro? Shiro? Stay with me, Oh God.”

“Who?” was all he could muster.

Allura smiled down at him sadly.

“A woman. An omegan woman. I didn’t recognize her,” Allura shook her head as if in shock, “She wore a short skirt, glasses… she looked like a secretary.”

Shiro smiled. Served the bastard right.

“We did it,” Shiro said through heavy eyes, “Thank you.”

And then everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE END 
> 
>  
> 
> JK JK... One or two more chapters. I haven't decided yet :P


	24. More to Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Given that I am working full time and school is back in full swing... ah who am I kidding. It's always late. Hope you enjoy anyway!  
> PS This has not been edited in any way, so please excuse any mistakes you find! :P

More to Love: Keith

               It took a week. A week for Shiro to finally wake up. A week for Allura to settle down the chaos left by Zarkon’s absence. And a week for them to finally start planning their return to, well, home. He wouldn’t have admitted it before, but Keith was actually excited to be able to return to their secluded cabin. A lot had changed in the last year, and he was looking forward to being able to escape from the city life.

               Many of the district’s alphas were upset with the change. Even if the root of the problem was taken out, things don’t magically change overnight. Allura had been working her butt off to write and enforce laws that gave people complete equality, regardless of their secondary gender. So legally, Keith could go to the store and buy something if he wished, though the stigma against omegas still very much remained.

Allura had been busy making public service announcements trying to educate the district, as well as opening its borders to allow for traveling throughout. She hoped with the exposure to the rest of the districts, people would start to change in order to fit in with the masses. It would be a lengthy process, but in time everyone hoped things would turn out for the best.

The masses of unmated omegas saved from the running were allowed to remain in school dorms until they could find a place of their own. Many mated anyway, finding it to be easier than trying to work for their own place. But they had the choice, which made all the difference. Quite a few had taken advantage of their new freedom, some enrolling in higher education, others starting jobs to be able to sustain themselves. Overall, things had worked out. Sure, there were still kinks, but they’d straighten themselves out eventually.

Keith and Lance had opted to stay at their hotel until Shiro was able to return home. They could go back in the meantime, but somehow arriving home one person short just didn’t feel right. This way they were able to visit every day, though for the first week he wasn’t even conscious. The doctors had assured them both that he would eventually wake up, as scans returned no signs of any sort of brain or serious internal damage.

Now, a couple of weeks later, the trio sat in the beat up old truck, trunk loaded to capacity with the things they had acquired over the course of a year, headed home.

“Are we there yet?” Lance pestered for the fiftieth time, impatient.

Keith groaned.

“Just be quiet. We’ll get there when we get there.”

Lance made a mock-offended face, punching Keith playfully in the shoulder.

“Well _excuse me_ for being excited.”

Keith pressed his face into his hands, ready to bail out of this truck the second it stopped. He loved Lance, but damn, the guy was _so_ impatient.

He awoke to the sound of Shiro’s voice.

“Keith. Lance. We’re here, come on.”

Lance stretched obnoxiously, nearly whacking him in the face before opening his eyes.

“Okay, okay…. HOLY CROW!”

Keith sat confused for a second, until he noticed too.

“What’s this? Shiro?” Keith asked, “When did you do this?”

Shiro chuckled good-naturedly. 

“I planned it when we left. Come on, let’s go inside.”

               The cabin appeared normal upon entrance, save for the new hallway branching from beside the kitchen table. The three of them immediately ran to the new addition, eager to explore. The hallway served as a passageway for three new rooms. One, a decent sized bedroom, already furnished. Another, a bathroom, complete with a shower. The last… empty.

“What goes here?” Lance inquired as he bounced up and down.

“Whatever we want. I figured we could make it an office, or an exercise room, maybe a guest room. It really depends on what you guys want to do,” Shiro explained.

Keith furrowed his brows.

“Guest room? Isn’t that what the other bedroom is for?”

               Shiro shifted uncomfortably, obviously a bit nervous.

“Actually,” Shiro began, “I thought that maybe _you_ would like your own room. You are totally welcome to stay with Lance and me, but when we left I hadn’t expected things to change so… drastically. So I arranged to have this added on, so you didn’t have to sleep on the couch or anything.”

 “You mean you arranged this all for me?” Keith said, shocked.

Shiro simply smiled.

“Of course. I wouldn’t want you to have to sleep on the couch forever. It was the least I could do, considering what I’ve… well, done to you.”

               Keith didn’t know what came over him, for without warning he found himself throwing his arms around Shiro, clutching him tightly.

“Thank you,” he whispered, “thank you.”

Lance interrupted their moment with a squeal, drawing both of their attentions.

“This is great and all, but Keith… you don’t have a choice. You are sleeping with us. No ifs ands or buts about it. I have waited _all year_ for the three of us to share the same bed, and you’re not getting out of this one, buddy.”

Keith laughed as Shiro scolded him.

“It’s up to you, Keith. Either way is fine by me,” Shiro said, “Don’t let Lance force you into anything you aren’t ready for,” he paused, “Though I’d like you to know that we’d both really enjoy your company, if you’re willing.”

               Keith bit his lip, rolling his eyes playfully.

“Well if you put it that way, it sounds like I don’t have a choice.”

Lance squealed once more, bouncing up and down as he drew the three of them into a group hug.

“I’m gonna go start unpacking!” Lance yelled as he exited the room, running towards the front door.

As soon as Lance had rounded the corner, Keith turned to Shiro

“I’m sorry you went through all of this trouble for nothing. I really do appreciate it, though.”

Shiro patted him on the back, resting his hand on Keith’s shoulder.

“It wasn’t for nothing. We could always use more space. It’ll serve as a killer guest room for when Hunk or Pidge come to visit.”

Keith smiled fondly.

“Yeah.”

 

More to Love: Shiro

               Shiro couldn’t help but stare at him. Keith had changed so much… and at the same time, somehow, remained the same. After his entire world was shaken, turned upside-down, he still pulled through somehow (though he attributed that mostly to the bubbly Lance). He was beautiful. Not only in the physical sense, but in personality as well. He struggled to control his anger, but was able to channel that anger into doing something productive. He was quiet, yet able to convey so much with a single glance. He was completely and utterly _keith;_ never would he have imagined for things to turn out like this.

               It’s hard to judge a person on looks alone. Actually, it was impossible. A year ago, standing up on that stage, eyes downcast and fists clenched, a boy had stood. Now in front of him the same boy stood; shoulders relaxed, a gentle smile crossing his lips, and soft eyes staring directly into his.

“…Shiro?”

He must have been staring.

“Yeah?”

“You okay?”

Shiro shook his head affirmatively, taking a tentative step closer. _God, he wanted to kiss him. Wanted to hold him. Wanted him to follow his dreams and achieve great things and live a life he so deserved._

Keith tensed, averting his eyes. The action made Shiro pause. It wasn’t a rejection, he knew. But he didn’t want to force his own desires onto him. Feelings are sacred; they can’t be rushed or forged in fear. Keith might not feel the same way as he did; he didn’t want to make him think he had to. Because no matter what the bonding mark might have suggested, two people were only partners if they choose to be. It raised the question: what were they to each other? Friends? Roommates? His mind struggled to define their relationship. And while he wanted to know the answer, he was afraid to hear it.

               They had exchanged I-love-you’s, but love is never a static thing. It was ambiguous; what it meant to one could mean something entirely different to another. What was Keith’s love? Was it friendly? Brotherly? It’s not something you can ask, and not something that always had a clear answer. Unless you were Keith, of course.

               Keith took another step forward, of his own initiative, effectively entering Shiro’s personal space. His cheeks flushed a light pink as he timidly reached forward, standing on the tip of his toes as he reached for Shiro’s lips before immediately retreating, eyes plastered to the floor. It happened so quickly Shiro hardly had time to react. He must have stood there dumbly for a second or two before he realized what had happened.

“… Sorry,” Keith said in a hushed tone, voice barely above a whisper.

               “What’s to be sorry for?”

Keith looked up, surprised, before turning away again.

“For… doing that. I know you have Lance.”

“And?”

Keith scrunched up his brows, appearing deep in thought.

“What do you mean ‘and’ ?”  

“So I have Lance. What about it?”

Keith stuttered, struggling to find the right words.

“I don’t—I don’t want to come between whatever you two have going on. I see the way he looks at you, the way you look at him. You’re perfect for each other. You deserve each other.”

               Shiro tilted his head, trying to comprehend what Keith was getting at.

“And what about you?”

“Huh?”

“What about you, Keith?”

A long silence passed between them.

“It’s not about what I want. Honestly, I don’t know what I want. I just know that being here is a burden for you both and—“

Shiro shushed him with a finger to his lips.

“You are not a burden, Keith. You’ve never been a burden. Excuse me for being blunt, but I think both Lance and I have come to consider you family. You are family. We _want_ you here.”

               Keith blinked back tears.

“I’m of no use to either of you, Shiro. Lance and I are both omegas, where’s that supposed to go? And I’m not able to give you kids, so of what use am I?”

It hurt his heart to hear Keith speaking like this.

“Do you really think your only worth is in reproduction? Sexual gratification?”

Keith’s dam broke, tears streaming down his face as he almost collapsed. Shiro caught him, pulling the omega flush with his chest.

“I’m broken, Shiro.”

Shiro rubbed small, soothing circles on his back.

“Me too, Keith. Me too.”

               Shiro held him like this for a while, nuzzling his neck and placing small kisses there. With each brush of his lips Keith would tense, as if he was fighting with himself to resist.

“I love you, Keith. No matter what, I love you.”

Shiro couldn’t tell if his words were soothing him at all, but he hoped that they reached him. It was the truth, he loved him. He was more than just a mate; a person to bear children. He was his partner in life, the very support beams that kept it all standing. It wasn’t about sex. He’d love Keith till the day he died, whether they’d done it or not. He just wanted Keith to be happy.

               “What do you want, Keith? Whatever it is, tell me and I’ll support you.”

Keith shook his head, trying to brush off the words.

“Tell me,” Shiro pleaded.

“Embarrassing,” Keith mumbled into his chest.

“Then I’ll go first. I want you, Keith. I want you to do whatever it is you want to do. I want to love you. I want you to be loved by Lance. I want you to listen to your heart. What does it say?”

“…. I want… I want to stay. But I’m scared, Shiro. I’ve never been so scared.”

Shiro tightened their hug, kissing the top of his head.

“What are you afraid of? Being forgotten?”

He shook his head.

“Me? Lance?”

Another negative.

“Sex?”

               Keith went rigid in his arms, saying nothing but everything at the same time.

“Do you remember what I told you? I told you that I will never force you into anything. If sex is something you never want to do, I’m fine with that. You’re worth more to me than sex.”

Keith squeezed him tightly, burying his face into the crook of Shiro’s neck.

“It’s not that I don’t want to. Actually… It’s because I’m afraid I’ll want to,” Keith explained, “And I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”

Shiro smiled, grateful to be holding the omega in his arms.

“If you ever want to, if you’re ever ready, I’ll be here with you; we can cross that bridge of it ever arises. But I’ll also be here if you decide to stay on the other side of the shore. Or even somewhere in the middle. Wherever you stand, I’ll be there.”

               He couldn’t stand it any longer, prying Keith’s face up to seize his lips, running his tongue along his lower lip. Keith trembled, but relaxed, opening his mouth just enough to allow Shiro’s tongue entrance. Their tongues intermingled, their mouths clashing together with urgency as they kissed, Keith’s arms wrapped tightly around Shiro’s shoulders. Shiro held him close, their lips meeting with fervor, each eagerly seeking each other, both desperate to get close. 

               When they finally separated, a piece of themselves had been exchanged.

“I love you, Keith. I really, really love you.”

More to Love: Lance

               Things had settled down nicely. Lance had somehow managed to drag Keith into bed with Shiro and him, and though at first he was tense, he soon relaxed. Lance glanced over at Keith, who was currently tucked up under Shiro’s arm tightly. Lance hugged Shiro from the other side, the six of their legs intertwining in a messy heap.

               Keith and Shiro had finally warmed up to each other. Keith hadn’t said anything explicitly, but he could tell that the beginnings of love were beginning to settle upon him. Shiro was already smitten, no surprise. And while he could feel jealous, in all actuality he felt… at ease. The two people he loved the most in the entire world were finally getting along, loving each other. And for the first time in forever, the three of them were able to share a part of themselves with each other.

               Keith had gone back on suppressants, though he and Lance sometimes messed around. Lance had decided that he liked his heats, and Shiro sure as hell wasn’t arguing. Keith and Shiro took turns taking care of him for those couple of days, practically waiting on him hand and foot. What’s not to like there?

               But something was weighing on Lance’s mind. It had been four months since the running had been abolished, and since then he’d only gone into heat twice. Had it been two months already? Lance cursed himself for not keeping track. It couldn’t have been that long, right? Right?

               Having been in this place before, Lance recalled what Keith had told him. So in the middle of the night he’d snuck out into the kitchen, rummaging through the drawers until he found what he was looking for: baking powder. His heart sped rapidly as he tip-toed to the bathroom.

               They weren’t exactly trying to have kids. Shiro hadn’t said anything for or against it, and given that they hadn’t been using protection as consistently as they should, surely he knew it would be a possibility? What about Keith? Would he be supportive? Jealous? Oh, God, what if Keith doesn’t like kids. He’d never asked, never thought about it before until now and…

“Breathe, Lance. Breathe,” he said to himself.

He shouldn’t panic until he knew for sure.

               The next morning arrived quicker than he had anticipated. The three of them sat around their dining room table, Lance eating his pop tarts while Keith and Shiro had bacon and eggs. The two were talking lazily, their voices a constant hum in his ears.

“You okay?” Keith regarded him suddenly, “You’re awful quiet.”

Shiro agreed.

“Yeah. If _you_ don’t have something to say, something’s got to be up.”

Lance cleared his throat, his palms beginning to sweat.

               “I… uh… I—“Lance couldn’t finish.

He had everyone’s attention now. Dammit, he just needed to out and say it.

“What’s wrong? Are you sick? Do you have a fever? Shiro does he have a fever?”

Shiro’s hand flew quickly to Lance’s forehead, where it was determined that he did not, in fact, appear to have a fever.

“Spit it out, Lance. What’s going on? You’re scaring us,” Keith pled, voice tinged with annoyance.

“I—It—It fizzed.”

Keith dropped his fork in surprise, eyes growing wide.

               “Wait what? What’s going on? What fizzed? Keith?”

Shiro was hopelessly lost, but Lance couldn’t bring himself to explain any further. He couldn’t tell whether he was excited or nervous, but wither way he felt like he was going to throw up.

“Really? Are you sure?”

Lance nodded.

“What? What’s going on? I’m so out of the loop,” Shiro complained.

A big smile spread across Keith’s lips as he turned to regard Shiro, who was growing frantic.

“Lance is pregnant.”

               It took a second for Shiro to register what Keith had said, but as soon as he did, his entire demeanor brightened.

“For real? Oh my god—Wait. Do you want this, Lance?”

Shiro seemed excited, and Keith hadn’t been bothered. _Did_ he want this?

“Do you?”

Shiro didn’t hesitate.

“Of course I do! But if you don’t, I’m not gonna force you. It’s your body, not mine,” he said, hand rubbing behind his head nervously.

Lance grinned widely, assured.

“I do.”

The commotion afterwards was mind boggling; yelling and shouting, hugs and kisses, frantic text messages to everybody in existence. The energy didn’t seem to ever die down, Keith even bouncing around excitedly, talking about how they should decorate the nursery.

               And Lance smiled through all the hysterics. He had everything he could have ever dreamt of and more—not one but _two_ loving partners, a beautiful home, a baby on the way… and a world of equality, where he knew their child would grow up safe, the world at their fingertips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But wait-- there's more! Epilogue to come!


	25. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! In the time I've been gone I've managed to fly out of country for my brother's wedding, move halfway across the US, and transfer Universities... It's been exciting. So this is long overdue, and I'm sad to say the end of our journey. This is less of an epilogue and more extras that I wanted to include, so I hope they please you. Thank you so much for partaking in this journey with me! I hope it was as fun for you as it was for me!

EPILOGUE

 

               “Is that everything? Do have your wallet? Phone? Notebook? Extra pencils? What about—“

“Shiro.” Keith interrupted, “Calm down. It’s only college.”

“Only college? College is arguably 4 of the most important years of your life! I just want to make sure you’re prepared.”

“Shiro. I’m commuting. If—and I say _if—_ I were to forget something, It’d only be for the day, so relax.”

Shiro knew he was being overbearing. It _was_ Keith’s first day of college, and for the first time ever colleges were accepting omegan students. The campus Keith had chosen was co-ed. He’d tried to convince Keith to go to one of the further colleges, the ones newly opened for only omegan students, but Keith didn’t want the separation. _I made it to college despite those bastards,_ he had said, _you better believe I’m gonna go rub it in their faces._

“Okay, okay. If anything goes wrong, _anything,_ just call me. And stay away from alphas. If they see an omega as cute as you there’s no telling what they’ll do.”

Keith slapped a palm to his forehead, visibly annoyed.

“Shiro, _we’re mated,”_ he gestured to their bond mark on his neck, “no one is going to try anything. Especially since they know _who_ I’m mated to.”

It’s true. If anyone tried anything Shiro would certainly be there in an instant to beat them into a pulp.

               “You can never be too careful.” 

Shiro gathered Keith into a hug, so Lance obviously had to squeeze his way into the middle. Which was quite the feat, given the size of his belly.

“I’m gonna miss you,” Lance said through tears.

“Lance, he’ll only be gone for a couple of hours. You’ll see him tonight once—“

“A FEW HOURS IS A LONG TIME!”

Shiro didn’t press his luck any further, opting to stay silent. Keith gave him the side eye, smirking.

“Tell us all about it when you get home,” he smiled, “I hope it’s everything you wanted.”

The smile that spread across Keith’s face would forever be branded into his memory.

“Thanks, Shiro. For everything.”

Heated Whispers: Keith

               “Are you sure?”

Keith grimaced. Never in a million years would he have ever imagined himself in this situation. In fact, he would have bet his life that he never would be. But somehow he had ended up here; lying naked in his bed, panting heavily, chest heaving… Whispering words into the vacant air as if his life depended on it. And right now, he was convinced it did.

“Fuck! J-Just do it… Need—“Keith couldn’t find it in himself to finish that sentence.

               “No, Keith. Tell me, honestly, what it is you want.”

Keith rolled his eyes, growing increasingly fidgety with every passing moment.

“I swear to god, Shiro, if you don’t—“

Shiro didn’t seem to like his answer, making no move towards him even though he was sending out every indication that he wanted him to. He didn’t blame him. Shiro, knowing Keith’s troubled past and feelings towards alphas, wanted to be careful. To be sure. Heats can make people say a lot of things they don’t mean, and he wanted to ensure there were no regrets later on. But it had been six months since the end of the running. They had shared the same bed for months, exchanged I-love-you’s, saved the world… He was finally comfortable; and with Lance heavily pregnant, his sexual needs were far from being met.

               A year ago the idea of sex with Shiro would have sounded completely repulsive. Shiro had always been attractive, damned him, but his secondary sex still remained. Keith doesn’t like alphas. But Shiro was no ordinary alpha, as he’d learned. Shiro had turned into a trusted partner, and though they had yet to do anything other than kissing, it didn’t mean the curiosity wasn’t there. After all, Lance always bragged to Keith about his alpha’s prowess during sex, and even if only 1% of what he said was true, he knew it’d be good.

               He knew he was ready to explore more sexually when he began to have dreams. Usually his dreams were filled with Lance, and they still were, but lately Shiro had been becoming more and more of a constant presence.  And, embarrassingly, they’d begun to turn sexual. Shiro pressed up close to him, mouths hungry, bodies melding… It was the first wet dream he’d ever had. The tension had been left to build for weeks now, and now that he was finally off of his suppressants, he’d decided that enough was enough.

               So Keith spread his legs invitingly, fingering himself open for Shiro, slick flowing almost excessively as he filled the room with the scent of his desire. He thrusted his hips upwards as he worked, unable to quite reach the spot he knew would set him on fire. He could tell he had the alpha’s interest, the overwhelming scent of musk in the air indicative of it. He watched as Shiro licked his lips, enticed, but still uncooperative. Keith whimpered, struggling to find his alpha’s gaze as the room seemed to spin. There they locked eyes, Keith sending a pleading look his way.

“Keith please. Please use your words. Then I can help you, then I can—“

“FUCK. ME. SHIRO. Please! Please—“

               He watched as Shiro’s stoic façade faltered at his words.

“I will, Keith. I will. I promise. But first I need to know how far you want to go…Your limitations, what you’re comfortable with, what you’re not. I don’t want to mess this up or trigger any bad memories.”

Shiro was really beginning to test his patience. He hated having to say it all out loud, it was embarrassing. He had already established that he was willing, that he wanted it… why wasn’t that enough for him? Keith’s face turned beet red as he choked out his words.

               “N-no knots.”

Shiro smiled, as if relieved.

“You got it.”

“And use a condom,” he added, realizing it sounded a bit rude, “please.”

“Okay.”

“Now please. Fuck me.”

               This time around Shiro made a move closer, draping his body over Keith’s much smaller, quivering one. Keith held his breath, suddenly nervous, but also inexplicably excited. He jumped when he felt his mate’s cold fingers touch his bicep, but relaxed when he began to rub soothing circles on his arm. His entire body was tense; wound up so tight a single touch might make him unravel at the seams.

“I’m gonna touch you,” Shiro’s husky voice whispered into his ear, leaving it hot and moist from his mate’s breath, “If you want me to stop, say the word. You’re in control here, baby.”

               He cringed at the use of the nickname, but it became the last thing on his mind when Shiro finally let his hand venture into his more southern regions. Shiro nudged away Keith’s fingers from his entrance, replacing them with his own.

“Mmph,” Keith struggled to contain his voice as the digits sank home.

Shiro’s fingers were much longer and wider than his own, able to reach deeper than he had been able to himself. He worked them expertly, stretching him open thoroughly, taking care to go slow. Keith glanced down at his mate’s erection, solid and pulsing up against his abdomen. He had known Shiro was large (Lance had made sure to tell him continually) but he had not been prepared for the sheer size of it. He was wide, but also long, a total pornstar-esque dick. It made him nervous. He had never attempted to take in something this large before, not even with toys. It made him wonder how Lance was still able to walk after...

Keith himself was petite. He had a small frame and narrow hips, and thus… It would be a stretch. But Shiro seemed to know this, knew the amount of preparation required for penetration, and so he prepared him carefully, thoroughly, a pace so agonizingly slow Keith thought he might pass out from anticipation. Keith tightened his grip on Shiro’s arms, frightened but excited.  

               Shiro let out a little possessive growl, as if staking his claim, pulling out his fingers all at once. Keith was about to voice his protest when he was grabbed and flipped, now sitting atop Shiro’s hips. It took him a second to get oriented, looking down to his mate a bit confused.

“Easier this way,” Shiro answered, “you can take your time. You’re in charge.”

Shiro wanted Keith to ride him. The realization made his face turn a deep crimson, his limbs trembling with either embarrassment or eagerness, he couldn’t tell. But Keith’s entrance throbbed needily. He was in charge.

               With a deep breath and hesitant hands Keith took hold of Shiro, allowing himself to get comfortable with the feel. Other than being much larger than his own, it felt familiar. Shiro was patient, allowing him to explore his body at his own pace, sending encouraging little groans as Keith’s hands grew more adventurous. Keith took a moment to appreciate the large expanse of skin beneath him; the chiseled muscles, scarred limbs, broad chest… because in a moment he won’t be able to appreciate them fully; he’d be too busy focusing on himself. When he finally steeled himself enough to go through with it, he lined Shiro up with his aching entrance and began the slow slide down.

               Keith’s eyes watered as he reveled in the slide, the feeling of fullness he could never replicate himself. It was as if he was finally able to scratch an itch that had been nagging him for so long, Shiro large enough to reach places he never knew he had. Shiro waited for him to get accustomed to the feeling, keeping his hips still as the smaller struggled to catch his breath.

               After a while his need overwhelmed him, his body moving almost on its own. He couldn’t help the breathy moans that escaped his lips each time he bottomed out, his eyes screwed shut, the sound of his voice foreign. He’d never taken it slow before, instead only being forcibly taken hard and fast. He found the change of pace nice. Here the focus was on him, his pleasure. No one (except maybe Lance) had done that for him before.

               He should have probably cared about the needy noises he was making, but in the moment he couldn’t seem to care. Besides, the noises seemed to excite Shiro, who was now subtly moving his hips to meet Keith’s. As tensions rose, their pace quickened, Keith’s thighs beginning to quiver with the exertion of moving up and down. All at once he stopped, falling forward onto Shiro’s chest out of breath.

“Shiro?”

“You okay?”

“Yeah. But I can’t move any longer. My legs—“

               Shiro chuckled good-naturedly, smoothing down the sweaty hair on Keith’s head.

“Want me to take over?”

Keith nodded into Shiro’s chest, thankful for the reprieve.

For the second time that night Keith was flipped, this time so he was on bottom. In the past this position, being pinned down by an alpha, had made him really nervous. But Shiro didn’t pin him down. Yes his hands were on his arms as he moved himself in and out, and yes Keith was unable to move from his current position, but he didn’t feel trapped. He knew if he asked Shiro would immediately stop, and that peace of mind made all the difference. Besides, he didn’t want him to stop.

“Un… uh… mm,” Keith couldn’t help himself, letting his voice out for all to hear.

Though the only person to hear might be Lance, who was napping on the couch.

 “Sh-Shiro,” he whimpered, “close.”

Shiro growled low in his throat, speeding his thrusts and angling himself as deep as he could go. He seemed to know how to hit just the right spot, slamming into his prostate with every stroke, coaxing Keith over the edge.

“Shiro!” Keith screamed as his climax overtook him, toes curling in pleasure.

               His orgasm left him overly sensitive, leaving him to whine in a mix of pleasure and pain as the onslaught of thrusts continued. He wrapped his legs around Shiro, hands around his neck, pulling him close. It hurt, but it was a good hurt. He wanted him deeper, faster, more. He panted heavily in Shiro’s ear, whining his name like a mantra. 

“Keith. I’m getting close.”

Shiro made the move to pull out, but Keith’s legs caught him.

“I-inside. Knot me. Please—“

“Keith, you said—“

“Please! Shiro please!” he begged, sobbing.

He needed this. He wanted this.

“Please—“

               Shiro sighed, defeated, as he met his own climax. Keith joined him with his second, savoring the feeling. Keith was startled back into reality when he felt the familiar swell of a knot. He had asked for this. He knew—but as soon as it locked into place, he was filled with a sense of panic.

“No. No no no no no…”

“Shhh,” Shiro soothed, rubbing small circles on his back, “it’s okay.”

The deep voice anchored him as he clutched dumbly onto the alpha above him. Shiro kissed the tears that managed to escape his eyes, surrounding him in a warm embrace.

“You did so well,” Shiro praised, “You did it. I’m so proud of you.”

Keith let himself fall slack in his arms as a sudden wave of tiredness overcame him. He smiled. He had sworn to himself that he would never let another alpha knot him ever again. Good thing Shiro was more than just an alpha.

“Thank you,” Keith managed a whisper, “Thank you.”

BONUS! Chocolate Cake: Lance

“Shiro.”

Silence.

“…Shiro, wake up,” Lance whispered.

“…Mmrg what?”

“I want chocolate cake.”

Shiro reluctantly opened his eyes, sighing heavily.

“Lance it is 3 o’clock in the morning. Can’t it wait until breakfast?”

Lance pouted his lips in the dark, crossing his arms across his chest.

“Oh okay, sure. Deny your pregnant mate sustenance in his time of need.”

               Lance’s belly had grown enormously in the past 6 months, the swell so blatantly obvious people began asking if they were having twins.

Shiro groaned, annoyed.

“We don’t have chocolate cake, Lance. How about a brownie?”

Shiro’s response made him livid.

               “No! A brownie is _not_ the same. The density is all wrong and the chocolate flavor is—“

“Shiro. Get your ass up and go buy him some chocolate cake,” Keith instructed sleepily, “Or we’ll never hear the end of it.”

And that’s how Lance convinced his Alpha to drive the hour into town to get him chocolate cake at 3 in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your kudos and comments are always appreciated! Whether it be minutes after this is posted, or years, I'd love to hear from you! Thank you for taking the time to read! Subscribe to be notified whenever I post if you'd like, I plan on continuing to write!


End file.
